Dollar General plans to open its first location in Montana in the fall of 2023, giving the discounter a retail presence in all 48 states in the continental U.S., according to a Tuesday press release.
The retailer said it has stores under construction in the communities of Columbia Falls and Eureka, Montana, but did not identify the site of the inaugural location or the address of either of the two stores.
According to the minutes of a Dec. 13, 2022, meeting of the Columbia Falls Planning Board and Zoning Commission, Dollar General’s store in the Flathead County city of about 5,500 people is slated for 1800 9th St. W.
A list of construction projects in Montana posted on the website of the state’s Department of Environmental Quality indicates the Dollar General store in Eureka will be at 567 U.S. Highway 93 N. in the town. Located about 60 miles northwest of Columbia Falls in Lincoln County, Eureka has a population of around 1,380.
The department’s list also indicates that Dollar General stores are headed for Libby, Montana, which like Eureka is in Lincoln County, and Thompson Falls, Montana, in Sanders County.
Dollar General said in the press release that it intends to consider areas in the state in addition to Eureka and Columbia Falls for potential future stores, but did not provide details. “The Company believes the addition of each new store represents positive economic impact in the communities it serves and takes several factors into consideration when opening new stores including how it can best serve its customers,” the discounter said in the announcement.
The retailer’s archrival, Dollar Tree, already has stores in Montana, with locations in 14 cities, including Libby; Billings, the state’s largest city; and Helena, its capital. Dollar Tree-owned Family Dollar also has stores in Montana.
Dollar General, which operated 19,294 U.S. locations under the Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and Popshelf brands as of May 5, opened its first store in Mexico in March.
