Signs point to plans for a new Dollar General in Central Park moving forward

Public conversation has increased in the Central Park community as work has been taking place on the property at the corner of Highway 12 and Solki Rd, with documents filed this year indicating that a project to add another local Dollar General may be moving forward.

Plans for a Dollar General on that site have been in the works for years, with documents showing the facility in the planning stages since at least 2020.

In 2020, Dollar General announced their expansion into Washington first with a store in Cathlamet. 

Since that time the company has opened nearly 40 stores that include locations in McCleary, Oakville, Ocean Shores, Westport, Ocean Park, Pe Ell, and South Bend. 

For the Central Park location, the Grays Harbor County Assessor shows that a building permit was filed in October to bring an over 10,000 sf retail store to a site on Highway 12 and at Solki Rd, at a projected cost of $1.7 million.

The property ownership changed in November to reflect the new owners as “ABERDEEN DG LLC”, which is a naming trend seen at other Dollar General stores.

A Construction Stormwater General Permit document from the Department of Ecology earlier in 2023 indicates that the work on the site was estimated to be completed by the end of this year and that the owners were aware of contaminated soils that need remediation, although additional documentation indicates an estimated completion date of May 1, 2024.

Earlier in December, Dollar General announced a plan to open approximately 800 new stores in 2024 across the nation, along with 1,500 store renovations and 85 store relocations.

Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer, said during their 3rd quarter report, “This is a modest slow down compared to the number of projects in recent years, which we believe is prudent in this environment. We are excited about the opportunities these projects provide to serve both new and existing customers, while also driving strong financial returns for the business and laying the foundation for future growth. Looking ahead, we are confident in this business model and its ability to create long-term shareholder value.”

As of May 5, 2023, the company stated that it has over 19,000 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across 47 states and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico.