Dollar General (NYSE: DG) is a chain of limited-selection consumable retail stores operating in 30 U.S. states. The chain operates more than 8,000 stores, and its headquarters provides covered parking and are located in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville.

Founded in 1955 by Cal Turner in Scottsville, Kentucky, Dollar General stores are typically in small shopping plazas or strip malls in local neighborhoods. The company acquired the 280 stores of the P.N. Hirsh Division of Interco, Inc. (now Furniture Brands International, Inc.) in 1983 and in 1985 added 206 stores and a warehouse from Eagle Family Discount Stores, also from Interco, Inc. In recent years, the chain has started constructing more stand-alone stores, typically in areas not served by another general-merchandise retailer. In some cases, stores are within a few city blocks within each other.

Dollar General offers both first-quality and lesser-quality merchandise — including off-brand goods and closeouts of name-brand items — in the same store, often on the same shelf.

Although it has the word "dollar" in the name, Dollar General is not a dollar store in the strict sense of the phrase, because it has goods that are priced at more (or less) than a dollar. However, goods are usually sold at set price points of 10¢, 25¢, 33¢, 50¢, $1, $1.50, $2.00, $2.50, $3.00, $4.00, $5.00, $6.00, $8.00, $10, $12, $15, and $20. Most items are $1 or less.

Dollar General typically serves communities that are too small to attract a Wal-Mart, as well as inner cities. It competes in the dollar store format with national chains Family Dollar and Dollar Tree, regional chains such as Fred's in the southeast, and numerous independently owned stores. More recently, its move toward multiple stores in suburban areas is an effort to give customers the low prices they might find at Wal-Mart or K-Mart, but without the hassle of shopping in supercenters. Indeed, some of its newer stores are within sight of Wal-Mart Supercenter locations.

Concepts

Since the turn of the century, Dollar General has experimented with stores that carry a greater selection of grocery items, including a handful of grocery-only stores. These stores (similar to the Wal-Mart Supercenter, but much smaller) operate under the name "Dollar General Market". These stores are similar to Aldi's and Save-A-Lot in that they are "no-frills" supermarkets--supermarkets that don't offer special services such as a pharmacy or a video store, and offer a very limited selection of groceries in order to keep the cost of groceries down.