GAS — Sales of produce have proven popular after a recent remodel at Dollar General, 222 W. First St., in Gas.
The store completed the remodel over a couple weeks in July. Since then, about one in three customers have some type of produce in their cart when they check out, store manager Christina Patterson said.
“It’s really taken off,” she said.
Pre-made salads are the most popular, she said, with customers also purchasing a lot of grapes, strawberries, bananas and tomatoes. The store receives two produce shipments per week, and staff check shelves multiple times each day to keep supplies stocked with fresh items.
As of March, Dollar General offers fresh fruits and vegetables in more than 5,400 stores across the country. Many are located in USDA-defined food deserts. The products represent the top 20 items typically sold in traditional grocery stores, including tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes and more. The store will continue to offer frozen and refrigerated food items.
“Although we are not a grocery store, we believe the addition of produce in our Gas store highlights our commitment to deliver a pleasant shopping experience that includes affordable prices on quality products in a convenient location,” Matthew Simonsen, Dollar General’s senior vice president of real estate and store development, said in a press release.
Having produce at the Gas store offers fresh fruits and vegetables to residents who may not be able to travel to grocery stores in Iola, even though it’s only a few miles away, Patterson said. Many of the store’s customers come from area towns such as LaHarpe, which doesn’t have a store.
Patterson has worked for the Dollar General company since 2011 and transferred to Gas as manager when the store opened more than six years ago.
Dollar General also supports a number of charitable organizations, such as its Literacy Foundation. Patterson said the Gas store has donated items to Hope Unlimited, an organization that supports victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She said efforts are underway to find options to donate unsold produce, as well.
“We try to give back to the community,” she said.
