Dollar General Attempts Wyoming Takeover

Wyoming small-town newspapers never really have much to write about.

It's a big deal in those towns when a "dollar store" of some sort is being built. Everybody is buzzing about it because not much happens in those towns.

So when a local newspaper, in this case, the Guernsey Gazette, publishes a story that Dollar General is taking over several Wyoming towns, well, that's the biggest story to hit the entire area in years.

They just got a Family Dollar Store not too long ago.

Watch out Guernsey. Next thing you know they'll be erecting SKY SCRAPERS in your downtown. Do they even have a downtown? I don't recall seeing one.

Dollar General stores located in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, are in the process of adding new stores to Wyoming including Guernsey, Wheatland, Douglas and Lander. (Guernsey Gazette).

A local True Value Hardware store that had been in the area for 30 years is being torn down to erect one of the new stores.

That has people more upset than when Aunt Ethel ran away with the manager of the NAPA store. We think they moved to Arizona. 

The local city council approved the new business without delay.

Construction began straight off and within a week, the demolition was nearly complete.

Dollar General does not waste time.

Believe it or not, the project will be finished in 45 and 60 days.

Try getting your federal government to do anything that fast. Not a chance.

Give it another month to get the store stocked and open.

Then it's off to Wheatland for the demolition of their next site which will be the West Winds Motel that sits directly behind the Maverick Station.

YUP! Dollar General is taking over Wyoming and they are doing it at a franticly fast pace.

Bored People In Glenrock FLOCK To New Dollar General.

The new Dollar General is open for business in little Glenrock, Wyoming. Population  2,576.

WOW - there's finally something to do in Glenrock!

Please don't misunderstand, the town of Glenrock is one of Wyoming's cutest little places to be. It's just that if you want something to do in Glenrock you have to leave Glenrock to find it.

BUT NOW THEY HAVE A DOLLAR GENERAL!

"My wife spent 4 hours browsing it," said Ernest Pickering. "She plans to go back tomorrow and browse again."

Both Ernest and his wife were born and raised in little Glenrock. Now, in their later years, they have gotten used to having nothing to do.

"Then all of a sudden she all excited that we have something new in town," said Ernest. "Ain't never seen her get excited about nothing - ever. Not even on our wedding day, or night."

I asked Ernest if he was worried that his wife might blow a bunch of money at the new store.

"It's a dollar store," Ernest chuckled. "It will take her a while to spend enough for me to worry about."

Okay fine, but what about how much she buys?

"Now that has me concerned," said Ernest. "Just imagine what Glenrock Yard Sales are going to state looking like as everybody tries to get rid of everything they bought at Dollar General. And everything will be at those yard sales for less than a dollar."

Well, despite the grumblings of Ernest, the town had a grand old time at their new Dollar General grand opening.

"We won't just save money buying crap we waste money on," said Juniper Lance. "We won't have to spend a lot of money on gas to get to Casper to buy crap we don't need! WHAT A SAVINGS?"

Meanwhile, the mayor of Casper was a bit concerned about the new Dollar General in Glenrock.

"A big part of Casper's revenue is bored people from Glenrock coming to Casper and milling about our dollar stores. They spend a lot of money here on crap. I can't imagine what their yard sales look like. Everything under a dollar? Anyway - The city is going to miss that revenue." 

"I'm sure they will still need to come to Casper for something," I said.

"WELL - that's true," said Casper's mayor. "We have like a half dozen really fun car washes to drive through. I know they love that."

ACTUAL NOTE FROM JOHN IN GLENROCK AFTER HE HEARD THIS STORY ON THE RADIO: "We have a tennis ball that we share for something to do also."