Hiring, products, impact: What to know about Whitesville's new Dollar General store
Whitesville elementary students didn’t have to travel far for a field trip this month.
The students toured the new business in town, a Dollar General at 715 Main St., located across the street from the school.
Independence town supervisor Jeri Reichman said the store’s debut earlier this month was “quite an event” for the rural Allegany community of nearly 1,100 residents.
“I believe people are very happy to have the business in town, especially the kids across the street at the school. They can run over between practices and pick up snacks,” said Reichman. “The Amish community is also very excited about it. When you consider you no longer have to travel 10 miles or more to purchase some basic staples, it’s a good opportunity.”
Reichman said some work remains to be done on the store, including the addition of sidewalks, signage and upgrades to the parking lot.
How many employees is the Whitesville Dollar General hiring?
Dollar General said the Whitesville location is expected to employ approximately six to 10 people, depending on the needs of the store. Current hours of operation are listed as 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The company’s website is advertising for an assistant store manager position with a starting pay range between $15.30 and $15.80 for new hires, as well as a sales associate position paying between $14.20 and $14.30 for new hires.
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What products are available in Whitesville?
The store will carry typical household essentials like food, cleaning supplies, paper products, over-the-counter medicines, hygiene products and baby items from national and private brands. Dollar General said the Whitesville location includes its new on-trend home décor and an expanded party preparation selection.
How will the Dollar General impact other businesses?
Whitesville is also home to the Whitesville Corner Market, which has some crossover with products carried by Dollar General. Reichman believes Whitesville’s Main Street is big enough for both businesses to thrive.
“They have a great fish fry, a great breakfast, things you can’t get at Dollar General,” said Reichman. “It’s a great place for residents to hang out, and they also have groceries.”
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How will Dollar General impact the local tax base?
The Town of Independence will gain new property tax revenue from the construction of the store on a previously vacant lot. Reichman said the property is now assessed at $753,000.
“It really increased our tax base significantly,” said Reichman.
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What to know about Dollar General’s growing presence in the area
Dollar General stores are now ubiquitous in many small towns across Allegany and Steuben counties. The Whitesville location is the 13th store to open in Allegany County alone.
“At Dollar General, we believe the addition of each new store provides positive economic growth for the communities we proudly serve, and the addition of our new Whitesville store highlights our commitment to deliver a pleasant shopping experience that includes great prices on quality products in a convenient location,” said Matthew Simonsen, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development.
Dollar General plans to donate 100 new books to the elementary school to mark the store’s debut.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Dollar General hiring, products: What know about new Whitesville store
