OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Construction on a Dollar General at 19 Heath St. in Old Orchard Beach is expected to begin soon, according to a spokeswoman for the company.

Dollar General spokeswoman Angela Petkovic said in an email that construction will begin “in the coming weeks.” She did not say when the store will open. 

Dollar General is a chain store that sells health and beauty products, home cleaning supplies, housewares, stationery, seasonal items and basic clothing. There are more than 14,700 retail locations nationwide.

The store’s mission is to provide convenient shopping with quality brands and low prices, according to the company’s website. The company designs small neighborhood stores, typically about 7,300 square feet, and offers a selection of items to make shopping simpler. 

“We don’t carry every brand and size, just the most popular ones,” states the website. 

The new store will be located at the site of the former Performance Plus, an automobile repair shop that has been closed for several years. 

“This is a highly visible downtown location,” said Town Manager Larry Mead. “The Dollar General investment will transform what is currently a vacant, substandard building and neglected property into an attractive and positive addition for residents and visitors.”

Mead said the development will also allow the town to make much needed pedestrian improvements at the corner of Heath Street and Saco Avenue.”

Petkovic said that when choosing locations for new stores, meeting customer needs is Dollar General’s top priority. Petkovic said the company also takes into consideration demographic trends, competitive factors, traffic patterns and community concerns.

“The company looks for places where we can offer customers an easy and convenient shopping choice,” said Petkovic. “We know convenience is a major factor in our customers’ shopping decisions as we generally serve customers within a three to five mile radius, or 10 minute drive.” 

Petkovic said the store will hire six to 10 employees, depending on the needs of the store. 

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.

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