Dollar General will become Winfield’s new corner store

WINFIELD — Plans are finally moving forward to bring Dollar General to the city of Winfield.

After 10 years of attempts to bring the store to the small town, Mayor Willie Bender is excited to have the store come to Winfield.

“It has been a long time in the making,” Bender said.

According to Bender the process began with his predecessor Chris Finnell when the city council purchased a three acre lot at the corner of Nebraska Avenue and Highway 78.

“I feel that the biggest struggle to overcome is was helping Dollar General understand the community’s desire for them to be here,” Bender said.

“When selecting store sites, we take a number of factors into consideration, carefully evaluating each potential new store location to ensure we can continue to meet our customers’ price, value and selection needs,” a public relations representative with Dollar General said.

“We as a community have had citywide petitions and sent emails to Dollar General to show our interest in having them here,” he said. “I took office in January 2020 and have been promoting Winfield to Dollar General ever since. It is rewarding to have that hard work pay off.”

According to the Dollar General representative the company is currently in the “due diligence” phase, but anticipate having a final decision in the coming weeks.

Winfield, however, has already begun moving with the idea as they have already torn down the previous building on the land.

Susan Beard, a local photographer, has documented the demolition thus far, and plans to take additional photos as the build progresses.

“Feedback I’ve received from the developer is that the building should be finished with construction by the end of the year,” Bender said.

The Winfield community is excited for this venture as it will bring jobs and considerable convenience to residence.

The nearest store with daily necessities is a two minute drive, one way, at the moment.

“This has been a desire and request from our residents for years,” Bender said. “Dollar General will fill the need for a general store with all our household essentials that we have desperately needed for years. This will also bring positive economic growth with new job creation as well as a partner for reinvesting into our community.”

Dollar General agrees.

“We believe the addition of each new store provides positive economic benefits including additional access to affordable products for customers," the representative said. “the creation of new jobs for local residents and career development opportunities for our employees; the germination of additional tax revenue for the city; and the ability for local nonprofits, schools and libraries to apply for literacy and education grants through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.”

The residents are excited and ready for this new growth in the community.

“This is wonderful for Winfield families,” Winfield resident Charlotte Neilson said. “With the cost of gas these days it will be a better option than to drive out of town.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com