District manager discusses retail giant’s growth – Shelby County Reporter

WESTOVER – A Dollar General district manager told the Westover Business Alliance that his company’s success is a lesson for retail sales.

Jeremy Franklin spoke at the WBA meeting on Thursday January 23 at the Servpro facility in Westover.

Franklin said he has been with Dollar General for about nine years, starting as a store manager in Roanoke, and was named district manager for the district that includes Westover about three months ago.

He said he researched the company and was impressed with its commitment to serving its communities.

“That drew me to Dollar General, and the rest is history,” Franklin said.

When Franklin started in Roanoke, after about 13 years at Walmart, the store’s revenue was around $15,000 to $18,000 a week. By the time he was promoted to another position, earnings were around $38,000 to $53,000 per week.

Franklin called Dollar General founder JL Turner and others like him, including Walmart founder Sam Walton, pioneers because of their approach.

“If you take care of your customer, retail isn’t hard,” Franklin said.

Dollar General opened its 16,000th store in Panama City, Florida in 2019. Additionally, the company is unique among retailers in that its revenue from existing stores has grown every year for a while, Franklin said.

Changes customers can expect include the continued use of larger capacity coolers, the launch of FedEx pickup and drop-off services, and the replacement of hanging clothes with more in-demand home items.

Franklin said Dollar General aims to open 1,000 new stores in 2020, with 1,500 existing store renovations and 80 relocations across the country.

Idaho and Montana are the only two states without Dollar General stores, he said.