Pikeville's Dollar General to open soon
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on September 11, 2016 1:45 AM
PIKEVILLE -- Employees of the Dollar General store in Pikeville worked Friday to open a new store on Goldsboro Street, in the former Walmart Express building, but continued to run into last-minute computer glitches.
By late Friday, Mike Moore, general manager, said the store would open as soon as the technical problems were resolved.
Customers stopped by throughout the day, anticipating the store opening, which fills a gap in northern Wayne County since Walmart Express vacated the property in January.
"I like it," said Jack Person, who drove into the parking lot Friday morning. "From what I'm seeing, they'll be selling a lot more items."
"I shop at Dollar General quite a bit. I like the merchandise, and I like the prices."
Dollar General employees started hauling items from the old store, at 112 Goldsboro St., last weekend in preparation for the opening, at the new 303 Goldsboro St. location. Employees continued to work throughout the week in a push to put Dollar General back in business in Pikeville.
The new store, which has been painted inside and out, offers more space, wider isles and more products, including meats, produce and dairy items, than previously offered at the former location.
Customers visited the store Friday after a sign was posted at the old store notifying the public of a Sept. 9 opening.
Dollar General's pay-at-the-pump gasoline stations will be serviced by an outside vendor and be in operation in two or three months, Moore said. Customers will only be able to pay at the pump and not inside the store.
"It'll be about 90 days," he said.
Dollar General has increased its number of employees and plans to hire another 15. Applications will still be accepted, with future hirings planned, Moore said.
A large Dollar General sign and an opening banner will be added along Goldsboro Street sometime during the next week. The store plans to have a grand opening, at 8 a.m. on Sept. 24, according to Crystal Ghassemi, Dollar General spokeswoman for the Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based company. The store's hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Other Dollar General stores are opening this month in former Walmart Express buildings, after the company announced in July its purchase of 41 former Walmart Express sites in 11 states. The largest collection of stores were purchased in North Carolina.
A new Dollar General store in Princeton, at 509 Dr. Donnie H. Jones Blvd., also opened Saturday. The store's grand opening is planned on Oct. 1.
At 8 a.m., grand opening celebrations will offer the first 50 customers a free three pound package of ground beef. The first 100 customers will receive a $10 Dollar General gift card, and the first 200 shoppers will receive a free Dollar General tote bag with samples. Donuts and coffee will be served in the morning and hotdogs and drinks at 11 a.m.