FREDERICA — One of the county’s fastest-growing retailers has its eyes set on central Delaware with hopes of opening a storefront in Frederica later this year as more housing developments and businesses continue to pop up near its increasingly busy Delaware Route 1 corridor.
Taking notice of that local growth, Dollar General, headquartered in Tennessee, decided to place Delaware’s first DG Market at 554 East Front. St. in Frederica which is less than 10 miles from two of Delaware’s fastest growing cities – Milford and Camden. The location itself is owned by Ridge Realty Properties, LLC. and leased by Dollar General Corporation subsidiary Dolgencorp for 15 years with extension options available.
The new storefront will feature Dollar General’s traditional merchandise with an expanded product list to include produce, refrigerated and frozen food offerings, dairy products, fresh meats and more, according to Dollar General spokeswoman Emma Hall.
The store plans on employing about 10 to 15 employees and is currently advertising for jobs on its website for the new location. The closest grocery stores to Frederica are Food Lions in Milford and Dover, Aldi in Camden and Redners in Camden and Milford. However, there are several convenience stores close by and a traditional Dollar Store in Magnolia, though those do not sell fresh produce and vegetables.
“While Dollar General is not a grocer, we understand the affordable access our stores provide to customers, often in communities where other retailers cannot or will not serve,” Hall said. “Dollar General’s produce set offers the top 20 items typically sold in traditional grocery stores, which includes a curated assortment of lettuce, tomatoes, onions, apples, bananas, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes, salad mixes and more.”
Local leaders have worked to position Frederica for significant growth over the years alongside its population growth. According to the Delaware Population Consortium (DPC), population estimates cite a 43% increase in Frederica’s population from 2013 to 2023. While DPC cites a mere 4% increase in population numbers deriving from nearby Magnolia in the same time frame, new housing developments are currently being built in both zip codes which will significantly increase their populations in the near future.
Other developments, such as the continued programming at DE Turf Sports Complex in Frederica which brings athletes in from across the country, a new hotel and infrastructure improvements show a tale of continued growth in the area. The stretch of highway near the new DG Market has also shown an increase, up about 17% from just under 34,000 travelers in 2014 to just under 40,000 travelers in 2023.
But local growth and traffic are only pieces to the puzzle for Dollar General leaders tasked with finding new store locations.
“In selecting store sites, we take a number of factors into consideration, carefully evaluating each potential new store location to ensure we can continue to meet our customers’ price, value and selection needs,” Dollar General Public Relations Coordinator Emma Hall told the Delaware Business Times in an email.
While Dollar General looks to growth opportunities of its own, recently celebrating its 20,000th storefront, it is also handling several legal situations currently plaguing the company.
The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently announced a corporate-wide settlement requiring Dollar General to pay $12 million in health and safety related penalties, while also implementing improved safety measures for its employees.
A more recent lawsuit also alleges that Dollar General engaged in a deceptive “pricing scam” in which it sold items at a higher cost than shown on its price tags and in 2019, the company was the subject of a lawsuit alleging that it had sold expired or obsolete products.
Setting aside the lawsuits and settlements, Dollar General representatives believe that bringing the first DG Market to Delaware will be a positive move for its nearby communities, including local jobs and adding a grocery store to a rural part of Kent County.
Hall also pointed out that Dollar General offers opportunities for local nonprofits, schools and libraries to apply for literacy and education grants through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.
