by Mari Radtke
The Dollar General Store in Paullina was shut down recently due to flooding. While water did not infiltrate the store, access to the store sustained damage forcing some downtime waiting for repairs. The store is up and running under the leadership of Brendon Rederick of Marcus.
But be prepared. The store is about to close again. This time it is planned and for expansive reasons. The store is upgrading is layout and selection.
There are two main additions planned by the corporate offices for the Paullina store. According to Rederick, that’s a result of increased sales since February when he took the helm. Dollar General Store (DGS) decision-makers are adding inventory focusing on the activity generated by Paullina Lake. Fishing, camping and summer supplies will become an added inventory feature to the seasonal sections. The second new inventory line will be fresh produce. Additional grocery lines to be upgraded is the cooler and freezer sections. The company will add 12 doors to the combined freezer and cooler space bringing the total to 36.
The Paullina DGS is full. To accommodate the additional space requirements six existing shelf sections will be removed. Aisles will be shorter and wider to better accommodate a more comfortable shopping experience. The inventory throughout the store will be moved. Shoppers are forewarned. Your first couple of trips to the store after it reopens no later than Friday August 16 might take a little longer to find the familiar merchandise. Brendon emphasized, “There will be no self-checkouts.” An entire aisle will be dedicated to all $1 value selections, making value shopping more convenient.
Rederick was full of good words. He said, “I have a really good staff. We are fully staffed and enjoy reduced turnover.” Paullina’s Dollar General Store is open 8:00am until 10:00pm every day of the year, except Christmas. He notes the store has seen increased traffic from local customers as well as those from the surrounding area, including where other DGS stores operate. “I appreciate all my customers. I want them to have a good experience,” said Rederick. “We’ll be happy to welcome customers when we reopen.”