Dollar General is under construction near the intersection of Highway 24 and Highway 187 in Belgreen, with an opening target of Spring 2017.

One Franklin County man has been trying to get a Dollar General into the Belgreen community for years. In Spring 2017, his efforts will come to fruition.

A Dollar General location is currently under construction on Highway 24 in Belgreen, on property that formerly belonged to Eddie Britton.

“We’ve owned that lot up there for years, and we have been trying to get a Dollar General in our community for about eight years,” Britton said.

“We actually were told we would have a Dollar General in 2009 and it never materialized,” he added. When he got a call in Spring 2016, it seemed the interest was there at last. “They were interested in locating down here, so we got together and sold them the lot.”

Dollar General communications coordinator Nolan Miles said a number of factors went into the location and timing for this new DG location.

“When choosing store locations, meeting customers’ needs is Dollar General’s top priority,” Miles said. “The company looks for places where we can offer customers an easy and convenient shopping choice. We know convenience is a major factor in our customers’ shopping decisions as we generally serve customers within a three- to five-mile radius, or ten-minute drive. We also take demographic trends, competitive factors, traffic patterns and community concerns into consideration.”

The new store, Miles said, is targeted to open in Spring 2017, although weather and other circumstance can impact that target. The store will provide jobs for six to ten employees and provide “a convenient location to purchase products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, housewares and seasonal items at low everyday prices,” according to Miles.

“We’re just excited to finally get it here,” said Britton. “Any time you can add a business to your community, it helps your community … We’re proud they have chosen to locate here.”

Britton said he made contact with Dollar General off and on for the past several years, but corporate restructuring and other personnel changes made it difficult to maintain a steady conversation. He also reached out to other value stores like Fred’s, Family Dollar – “pretty much all of them” – but it was only Dollar General that ever showed interest.

Shoals-based Martin Aycock Properties served as purchasing agent intermediary.

“People are really excited in the community, and I think it will be a great store for them,” said Britton, adding that the store will also be an asset for lakeside campers in need of supplies.

“Dollar General is deeply involved in the communities it serves,” Miles added. The company is a dedicated “supporter of literacy and education through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, which awards grants each year to nonprofit organizations, schools and libraries within a 20-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer and youth literacy programs.” Miles said the DGLF has awarded more than $127 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, “helping more than 7.9 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education,” since 1993.

For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com. For more information on job opportunities with Dollar General, visit www.dollargeneral.com/careers.

Franklin County Commission Chairman Barry Moore praised the company’s decision to locate in Belgreen. “We appreciate Dollar General coming in. It will be good for that area over there.”