“Since day one, my administration has been committed to business growth and job creation. Today I’m proud to say that our business climate gets stronger every day,” Governor Wolf said. “We applaud Dollar General for expanding their operation in the commonwealth, and for bringing significant economic investments and jobs to communities in the Schuylkill area.”
Dollar General’s expansion in Schuylkill County is part of the company’s new initiative toward a strategic shift to the self-distribution of perishable goods sold in its stores. The cold storage facility is currently distributing to approximately 300 stores in the northeast. The project includes the company’s purchase of a 148,000-square-foot building in Pottsville, which is expected to create 100 new, full-time jobs over the next three years.
“Dollar General is excited to expand in Pennsylvania through the collaboration with Governor Wolf and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development,” said Mike Kindy, Dollar General’s executive vice president of global supply chain. “As Dollar General embarks on our DG Fresh initiative, we sincerely appreciate the partnership from state and local leaders on this project and look forward to a longstanding presence throughout Pennsylvania.”
Dollar General received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development, which included $200,000 in job creation tax credits to be distributed upon the creation of new jobs and a $45,000 workforce development grant to help the company train employees. The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, an experienced group of economic development professionals who report directly to the governor and work with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania. Additional coordination was provided by Schuylkill County Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO).
“We are pleased that Dollar General, as a nationally-recognized retailer, has acquired this cold storage facility at the Highridge Business Park joining Wegmans, Wal-Mart, and Tyson Foods in putting food on the table of families in the Northeast marketplace,” said David Snyder, chairman of SEDCO.
Today, Dollar General operates a distribution center in Berks County and approximately 745 stores in Pennsylvania, employing more than 6,500 individuals throughout the Keystone State. Founded in 1939, Dollar General operates more than 15,400 stores in 44 states, which provide everyday items including food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, family apparel, housewares, seasonal items, paper products, and more from trusted brands and products, along with Dollar General’s high-quality private brands. The company’s focus is on small neighborhood stores with carefully-edited merchandise assortments to make shopping simpler.
Information posted from a Press Release from Governor Wolf's Office