Dollar General Set To Build New Facility In Vandalia

Brand New Building Will Be Located On Former Cinema Property

Vandalia City Administrator Darren Berry noted that while the town has lost a few businesses in the past several months, there are also positive things happening as well including construction of a new Dollar General store.

Dollar General has been operating out of a building on Highway 54 for more than 20 years. The business moved there after IGA moved to the business plaza where it currently resides. Prior to that, Dollar General was located downtown in a building that was subsequently taken over by Water’s Furniture.

The company closed on the property where the cinema is located on Monday, Oct. 22. That property is owned by Micheal and Audra Evans. The couple also sold and rented self-storage spaces on the property in addition to having the cinema building.

That building will be torn down to make way for the new Dollar General facility. The Westmore Group out of Chesterfield is the developer.

According to plans, the facility will have a prototypical floor plan and will be 10,640 square feet. It will sit on a total area of 1.22 acres on the property.

Berry pointed out that while there have been losses in the business community, the new construction is welcome news. He added that Carquest is also slated to move into the Breneman-Ennis True Value facility. Berry noted this is the fifth store the owner is adding and is pleased he selected Vandalia.

“I’ve also been showing the spec building we have. That’s how those things go sometimes. You don’t hear anything in what seems like forever and then you get a lot of interest,” Berry remarked.

He added that a new salon will also be opening downtown soon as well.

Berry said he anticipates that Carquest will be open and operating before the end of the year and that Dollar General construction will be complete by summer of next year.

He further pointed out that the new Eastern Missouri YMCA that will be opening in mid-January will add to the excitement as well.

“We are moving in the right direction,” he said. “We’re definitely going to miss Water’s. They were a staple in Vandalia for many, many years. But there are exciting things happening, too.