Dollar General Announces National Hiring Surge

PORT RICHEY, FL - Tampa Bay area residents in search of work may want to check into Dollar General for opportunities. The discount retail giant has announced plans to hire 10,000 new workers across the country over the next month.

Dollar General already announced an ambitious growth plan for 900 new stores in fiscal 2016 and 1,000 more in fiscal 2017. In addition, the company purchased 41 former Walmart Express stores and converted them into the larger DG16 format, which offers expanded fresh food offerings and, often, fuel pumps.

To fill those new stores, Dollar General will hold more than 600 hiring events Sept. 17-24 at stores across the country. A number of hiring events have been announced for stores in the Tampa Bay area, including one set for Sept. 21 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the 7297 Ridge Road store in Port Richey.

A full list of the hiring events is available on Dollar General's web site and applicants must apply online prior to the in-store event.

"Dollar General remains focused on our strategy to invest in our employees as a competitive advantage," Dollar General CEO Todd Vasos said in a statement. "We look forward to providing new employees opportunities to gain new skills, develop their talents and grow their careers through our mission of Serving Others."

Dollar General currently operates about 13,000 stores and its stated goal is to expand its square footage by 6 to 8 percent annually. In fiscal 2015, it opened 730 new locations, relocated or renovated 881 and closed just 36. The company's expansion blitz began after a failed attempt to acquire competitor Family Dollar in a $9.1 billion deal. Instead, Family Dollar's shareholders voted for a $8.5 billion with Dollar Tree.

Annual sales at Dollar General grew more than 10 percent in fiscal 2015 and 6.4 percent in the first half of fiscal 2016.

By Patch editor J.R. Lind

Image via Flickr user Mike Mozart, used under Creative Commons.