Dollar General Exploring Expansion Into Southwest Washington

Posted

Retail giant Dollar General has an eye on Southwest Washington as it looks to expand into the last mainland state lacking the yellow and black logo taking rural America by storm.

A spokesperson for the company, based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, told The Chronicle they anticipate making final decisions on each site later this year.

The Chronicle specifically asked Dollar General about locations in Centralia, Winlock and Oakville. The company responded via email that, “at this time, we are in a due diligence process for each of these proposed locations, which means we’re interested in adding these new locations, but we have not committed to doing so quite yet.”

Dollar General stores have appeared with increasing regularity across the country in recent years. It has reported annual gross revenue of more than $22 billion for each of the past three years, according to its most recent report to investors and filings with the Securities Exchange Commission. 

The year-end report dated April 4 lists 52 locations in Oregon but none in Washington as of Feb. 1. The closest Dollar General stores to Centralia shown on the company website are in the Northwest Oregon towns of Rainer and Clatskanie.

“We’re very thankful when any economic development comes into the city,” said Centralia Community Development Director Emil Pierson. He added that he doesn’t count a potential project as having come to fruition until he sees construction underway, but is optimistic that Dollar General will follow through.

Site plans for Centralia location on West Reynolds Avenue across from Centralia Self Storage were recently submitted to the city. The State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental review checklist cites a proposed timeline of construction and occupancy by the end of 2019.

“It’s a great location for them, and we’re looking forward to seeing improvements on Reynolds road if they go in over there in the future,” Pierson said.

The possible location in Oakville comes with more strings attached due to how the land is currently zoned. Rumors about the retail chain have caused some consternation among residents of the small city in eastern Grays Harbor County.



Oregon resident Dale Clark confirmed to The Chronicle that Dollar General representatives have spoken to his realtor about property he owns in Oakville across the street from Harry’s Grocery on West Pine Street. Clark said the company recently made an offer for the property, but declined to provide additional details.

“They’ve made initial inquiries about it, but haven’t submitted any sort of applications about it that I know of,” said Oakville City Clerk Amy Durga. “At this point, the property isn’t zoned correctly for that use.”

Clark’s parcel is zoned for industrial use, meaning he or Dollar General would have to seek either an amendment to the zoning map by the Oakville City Council or a variance from the city Hearings Examiner to use it for commercial purposes.

Some Oakville residents who have gotten wind of the possible development plan to voice their objections at the city council meeting on Monday. They say that rezoning the parcel for Dollar General would effectively drive Harry’s Grocery, a locally owned operation, out of business.

“We need the business in Oakville, but this will wind up closing the only other store in town,” said Oakville resident Arlene Boles. “It also has the only (gas) station in town. The town is too small to have two grocery stores.”

The extent of Dollar General’s interest in Winlock is not as clear as the other two locations. Mayor Don Bradshaw said representatives from a pair of companies have sought information in recent weeks about specific properties within the city, but have thus far declined to tell city officials what companies they’re representing.

“They’ve asked specific questions about permitting, sizing and so forth, but they won’t identify who their ultimate customers are,” Bradshaw said. “They’re asking all the right questions, whomever they are.”