Family Dollar. Dollar Tree. Dollar General.
When it comes to shopping, it’s pretty clear what Warren County residents like to pay.
Signage has been put in place and excitement is radiating throughout the community about the opening of a new Family Dollar and Dollar Tree combo store in Morrison.
I stopped by the store on Friday and had a chance to chat with Hayden Lockard of Summitt General Contractors of Knoxville. That company is handling construction of the Morrison store and has built several such stores throughout the United States as far west as Texas.
The deadline is this coming Friday, March 11, for all construction to be done at the Morrison store. After that, a display team will converge to get all the shelves stocked and make the store sparkle. That process takes about two weeks, Hayden told me.
He said his best guess is the store will be entirely stocked by Friday, March 25, and it will have its first day of business on Monday, March 28. That is his guestimate based on how these store openings typically proceed.
The overwhelming question everyone wants to know is why was a Family Dollar-Dollar Tree built directly across the street from a Dollar General? Hayden says that’s standard procedure.
“Just about every one of these stores I’ve been to you can walk outside and see a Dollar General from the parking lot,” said Hayden. “That’s the way they want to do it. They attract the same kind of customers so they figure if they’re already going to Dollar General then they can stop by Family Dollar too while they’re in the area.”
I guess it’s the food court concept of cramming 15 different restaurants into one spot at a mall. By having so many choices, the food court is bound to attract everyone who is hungry, or so the logic goes.
Searching the depths of my memory, I don’t think I’ve ever shopped at a Family Dollar before so this new store will be a treat for me. I keep telling myself I must have stumbled into a Family Dollar somewhere, at some point in my life, but it’s not coming to mind.
Hayden told me the Family Dollar and Dollar Tree lines are similar because both brands are owned by the same company. The Family Dollar part of the store will include a large freezer section with grocery staples and I’m confident those items are going to cost more than $1.25.
BTW, Dollar Tree has announced that it has completed its nationwide conversion and prices have been raised to $1.25 at every store in the chain.
If you’d like to get a job at our new Family Dollar, signs on the store window indicate the number to call is (239) 240-9231. The signs say, “Work today, get paid tomorrow.”
May fitness
Rule the
planet
It was four months ago when I put my investigative powers to work, crunched all the information in front of me, and came to the bold conclusion Planet Fitness would be locating in McMinnville at the old Hasting’s building, which is also the old Serenity Thrift building.
It took longer than I expected, but a company has finally filed renovation plans with the city to make major modifications to that building. And it is Planet Fitness!
Chris Skipp, who is vice president of operations for Planet Fitness, was kind enough to return my email on Friday. “We are so excited to be coming to McMinnville this year,” said Skipp.
I asked him if he has a ballpark estimate of when Planet Fitness may open for business. The building at Northgate Center still needs much work so he says he does not at this time.
“I hope to have an estimate for you soon as I am working with our construction and development team on a timeline,” said Skipp. “At this point, we are working with all facets of construction and development as well as vendors to determine all the necessary moving parts that go into such an endeavor. I will keep you in the loop.”
Fitness is such a fabulous thing so I’m thrilled to see another venue will be coming to McMinnville. There are Planet Fitness locations in Tullahoma, Cookeville, Murfreesboro, Shelbyville, Smyrna, and Crossville, so McMinnville is a logical expansion site.
Planet Fitness reports it has more than 2,000 locations, which means it must be doing something right in the gym business. The building at Northgate Center has been vacant since Serenity Thrift left in November 2019. Hastings closed in March 2013.
Building leveled
At Depot Bottom
The gradually collapsing building at Depot Bottom on the corner of South Chancery Street and Bridge Street has been removed.
The last business I recall operating in that spot was Holder Welding, which had a shop set up in the back. I took a push mower there some 20 years ago to have welding done on the deck and that’s the last time I was in that building.
It was old then and it didn’t look like 20 years had done it any favors. Property owner Jason Nunley shared similar sentiments on Wednesday while watching a crew remove the last parts of the structure.
“I tried everything in the world to save it, but it was just too far gone,” said Jason, who is in the construction and remodeling business.
He said he entertained a bunch of ideas about uses for the old building if it could be salvaged, but there were too many major obstacles to overcome.
“I worried about it being a safety hazard the way it was,” said Jason. “In its condition, I worried about it catching on fire. I know how firefighters are and I’d hate to think one of them might get hurt rushing in to try to save an old building like that. There was really no reason to keep it with the safety risk.”
When thinking about what eventually may find its way to that location, one issue is the property lies a little low and is prone to flooding. Most folks have probably noticed the nearby lumber yard under water after heavy rain.
“It would be good to raise it up and get it even with the road,” said Jason. “I’d say it will just sit there and be a parking lot for a while before I do anything with it.”
Tactical approach
To junk removal
Part of life is collecting stuff. A whole bunch of stuff.
When it gets to the point where you are overwhelmed by your stuff, there’s a place to turn for help. G.I. Junk Removal & Hauling has opened and the business had a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Chamber on Tuesday.
Thomas E. Davis is the owner and manager. As you might infer by the business name, Tom is a nearly 25-year Army veteran who retired in 2014. He currently serves as quartermaster of VFW Post 5064, which remains active even though it no longer has its building on Sparta Highway.
Tom says he can haul away one item, like an old refrigerator or washing machine, or he can haul away truckloads of unwanted stuff. G.I. Junk Removal is ready to help you battle your junk insurgency with military force to restore order.
“I’m not a regular trash pickup service,” said Tom. “My focus is on hauling away items in bulk. I also do light demolition work and I can do things like move furniture.”
Tom says he’s delivered furniture from Highway 8 Treasures on Harrison Ferry Mountain, which does not offer delivery service. He will travel outside of Warren County if necessary and says he can offer great rates for jobs done inside the county.
No job is too small and almost no job is too big. Tom says he has only had to turn down one job due to size and that was an extremely large walk-in cooler because he didn’t have a vehicle large enough to transport it.
If you have a whole barn overflowing with junk, Tom will remove all of it, even if it takes 10 trips. He has two employees so they can tackle the job rather quickly.
G.I. Junk Removal offers free estimates. The number to call is (931) 314-0531. You can also check out the company website at gijunkremoval.us.
G.I. Junk Removal serves the greater Middle Tennessee area, including McMinnville, Murfreesboro, Manchester, Sparta and Smithville.
Way to go
Ascend!
Ascend Federal Credit Union and its employees recently raised $1,270 to support the American Heart Association’s efforts to increase women’s heart health awareness.
Ascend employees gave a total of $635 by donating at least $5 to the Go Red for Women program to wear blue jeans and a red shirt on National Wear Red Day on Feb. 4 and Ascend matched each employee contribution, dollar-for-dollar.
Over the past six years, Ascend has contributed $19,730 to support heart health through donations to the American Heart Association.
Ascend Federal Credit Union, with a branch at Three Star Mall, is the largest credit union in Middle Tennessee with more than 240,500 members and more than $3.7 billion in assets. The company is based in Tullahoma.
That’s all folks
Business news has shifted into high gear. New businesses are opening. People have money to spend. It’s great to see.
Send business tips via email to editor@southernstandard.com.
