Construction has begun on a new Dollar General store at 4809 Phillips Drive in Gardendale, just off Fieldstown Road. It will be the third store for the national retailer in the city. The first store opened in the Village Green Shopping Center on Main Street, and the second store opened on Mt. Olive Road.

“Dollar General is pleased to be opening a new store in Gardendale,” said Emily Weiss, Dollar General’s media relations manager. “We chose this location for a number of reasons, including convenient location, demographic trends and customer needs. We look forward to serving customers at this new location.”

The retail store building will have just over 9,000 square feet, hired up to 10 employees, but has not set a grand opening date. “Dollar General is excited about opening another store in Gardendale,” said Weiss.  “We are increasing our presence to better serve customers in the community.”

Meanwhile, Gardendale Mayor Othell Phillips had mixed emotions concerning the retailer’s third store in the city. “I think Dollar General saw a potential market in that area,” said Phillips. “Personally, I am not excited about their new location. There has been mixed reaction from residents in the area. Some want the convenience of the store, but some are against it because of the traffic.

“That property has been zoned commercial for at least 50 years. Dollar General met all the requirements, got all their permits required and are moving forward.”

City leaders actively recruit new businesses to locate to Gardendale, but the retailer was not sought out for this third store under construction at that location.

Dollar General originally wanted to build on the larger lot adjacent to the location’s east border that would have given the store a Fieldstown Road address, but neighbors in the immediate vicinity successfully lobbied to kill the commercial rezoning request.

One of the reasons against the rezoning request was a safety issue of vehicles entering and exiting the business on a hilly stretch of Fieldstown Road.

   Protestors again voiced concerns over the traffic dangers of rezoning the adjacent larger lot to commercial when the request was made at the Gardendale Planning and Zoning Board. The board denied the request and forwarded an unfavorable recommendation to the Gardendale City Council. Protestors jammed the following council meeting and hallway when the rezoning motion was presented, which was denied unanimously council members. There are no other businesses on Phillips Drive.

  Phillips Drive residents were not in favor of Dollar General building on their residential street, but could not stop Dollar General from building because the lot already was zoned commercial that allows a business operation. In fact, over the years that commercial lot had previously been home to a gas/service station, a butane gas business, and an aluminum siding company.d

   Even though local residents successfully lobbied against the retailer’s desire to build on Fieldstone Road, residents on Phillips Drive have enlisted an attorney to assist with having the city make a dead end at the end of Dollar General’s property on the residential street. A petition is being circulated now among nearby residents to promote a united front.

   If the dead end is approved by city leaders, Phillips Drive – which is a circle and has two entrances off Fieldstown Road – homeowners would then enter and exit their street at the west entrance of the circle.

   The retailer has shown steady growth and now has 540 stores in Alabama. Information on employment at Dollar General is available in the career section of dollargeneral.com.