Dollar General now open!

It's already here.
 
Dollar General opened its doors a month ahead of schedule in Minneota, much to the surprise of some its customers.
 
“We opened on Wednesday (Aug. 15) and we were originally planning to open on Sept. 20,” said new Dollar Store manager Amanda Killian of Canby. “It was pretty quiet in here the first day because people said they didn't know we had opened yet. They figured it wasn't going to open up for another month.”
 
A large sign on the outside of the building along Highway 68 west of town stated “Now Open”, but there was no other advertising that the store would open in mid-August.
 
“It's been getting a little busier each day now that people are becoming aware that we are open,” said Killian. “A few people from Minneota that used to shop in the Canby Dollar General recognized me and said hello. Otherwise, I'm still getting to know the customers.”
 
Even the installation of the shelving and the stocking of merchandise on the shelves went quickly.
 
“There were about 10 to 15 people putting shelving up on the Saturday before we opened,” Killian said. “And then there were about 10 people per day stocking merchandise and that went pretty fast, too."
 
“I helped open the Appleton and Cottonwood so I knew what to expect when it was time to get ready to open here, too.”
 
Killian was the assistant manager of the Dollar General in Canby and was asked in March of 2017 if she would be interested in running the Minneota store.
 
“It's exciting,” she said. “But I was a little nervous the first day we opened.”
 
Kim Gonzalez, the manager of the Madison Dollar General, was on hand the first week to help Killian make the managerial transition.
 
“Amanda actually trained me to be an assistant in Canby and then I became the manager in Madison,” said Gonzalez. “And it's kind of funny that now I'm training her.”
 
Minneota's Dollar General currently has seven employees, including Killian. They are also taking applications for anyone interested in working there.
 
Unlike some of the other nearby Dollar General stores such as Canby, Cottonwood, Madison and Appleton, this store is not carrying hanging apparel or craft items.
 
“We are selling things like t-shirts, underwear, socks and gloves,” said Killian. “But no hanging apparel like sweatshirts or pants.”
 
There are 21 aisles in the store with items including paper products, toys, non-perishable and frozen food, personal care, pet supplies and more.
 
The store will be open every day of the week, including Sundays, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
 
“The only day of the year that we won't be open is Christmas,” Killian noted.