Dollar General was ranked number 91 on the Fortune 500 List, indicating their prowess as a retailer in 2024. With over 18,000 stores within the United States, it’s reported that 75% of Americans are within 5 miles of a Dollar General.
However, if you’ve never heard of Dollar General, you may be wondering what the company is known for, how the brand is different from its competitors, and what type of store it is. If you’d like to find out, keep reading!
What Is Dollar General In 2024?
Dollar General is a variety store that offers its customers convenience through providing a variety of food, housewares, and seasonal products as of 2024. Stocking brands such as Clorox, Coca-Cola, Nestle, and more, Dollar General uses its store layout to make the shopping experience easier for customers.
For more information about Dollar General, including who owns Dollar General, when Dollar General was founded, where Dollar General gets its products, and which state has the most Dollar General stores, keep reading for more facts!
What Is Dollar General Known For?
Dollar General is known for offering customers convenient products at competitively low prices, and the products sold at Dollar General are sourced directly from trusted American manufacturers.
Additionally, Dollar General selectively chooses products to make the shopping experience easier for customers, as well as offering a smaller-sized store to make the process faster.
In fact, the brand has described how they wish shopping at Dollar General to be a ‘hassle-free’ experience for customers.
However, if customers aren’t satisfied with their products or purchases from Dollar General, they can return them for a refund.
Many of the private brand merchandise sold at Dollar General is eligible for a full refund due to the company’s 100% satisfaction guarantee.
How is Dollar General Different From Other Stores?
The primary reason Dollar General is different from its competitors is that the company is smaller than other stores, which makes customers’ shopping experience easier and faster.
The average size of a Dollar General store is around 7,400 square feet, compared to Walmart which has an average size of 178,000.
The shopping experience at Dollar General has been described as ‘bare bones,’ which enables customers to easily view the products on offer as well as checkout faster.
What Type of Store is Dollar General?
Dollar General is a discount retailer, offering popular brands of food, seasonal items, homeware, and more at cheaper prices than competitors. Dollar General also offers its own home brand, which prices cheaper than other brands.
Who Owns Dollar General?
Dollar General is owned largely by institutional investors, comprising 91.45% of the business. Todd Vasos is the current CEO of Dollar General as of 2024.
Where was Dollar General Founded?
Dollar General was founded in 1939 in Scottsville, Kentucky, within the United States.
Originally, Dollar General was opened as a dollar store, where all items were priced at one dollar, before expanding to feature a wider variety of products and merchandise.
What is the Difference Between the Dollar Store and Dollar General?
The central difference between Dollar General and the Dollar Store is that the items at the latter are all priced at a dollar, whereas Dollar General has a wider array of items that cost more in price.
Does Dollar General Own Its Stores?
The majority of Dollar General stores are leased which helps to minimize the company’s real estate costs, meaning most store locations are not owned by the company.
The format of Dollar General stores also enhances its shopping experience, as the stores have strip lighting and cost signage that make it easier for customers to navigate each store.
Where Does Dollar General Get Its Products?
Dollar General often sources its products directly from American brands and manufacturers to sell in-stores.
Brands sold at Dollar General include Clorox, Energizer, Hanes, Unilever, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogs, and PepsiCo.
Which State has the Most Dollar Generals?
The state with the most Dollar Generals is Texas, which has 1686 locations, comprising 9% of all the Dollar General stores located in America.
The second state with the most Dollar Generals is Georgia (with 991 locations), followed by Florida (with 975 locations).
Currently, Dollar Generals have 17,926 stores in operation across 46 states and 7019 cities in 2024.
To find out more, you can also see our posts on Dollar General’s competitive advantages, if Dollar General owns Dollar Tree, and the Dollar General competitors.
Conclusion
Dollar General is a discount retailer that sells seasonal goods, food products, homeware, and household items. Dollar General stores are often smaller than its competitors, meaning it’s an easier shopping experience for customers.
While Dollar General was initially opened as a dollar store, where all products were $1, it has since expanded its merchandise. Now, around 25% of the products sold at Dollar General are priced at $1 or less.
