T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY Conrad’s new Dollar General store, located at 101 Sunset Blvd. on the east edge of town, is officially open for business.

CONRAD — 101 Sunset Blvd. is home to a newly built Dollar General — a one-stop-shop of sorts for people on the go.

“It’s their newer model of a store…I call it a ‘little Target.’ It’s cute and well-stocked,” said Conrad Chamber-Main Street Executive Director Heather Wilson. “They have really diverse products. Friendly staff. I’ve had great feedback on that. It just provides our citizens with a convenient new shopping option, offering everyday essentials just right here in Conrad, so you don’t have to take the trek to Grundy (Center) or down to Marshalltown or even to the bigger cities for the bigger stores.”

Wilson noted that the store is located in a newer development on the east edge of town.

“Not a lot of people know about Sunset Boulevard, but it’s just right off of Center Street out by Steckelberg Veterinary Clinic and our new UnityPoint,” she said. “It’s building that area of Conrad…This is the first time in over 100 years where Conrad can actually grow outside of its city limits. We’ve kind of been landlocked for a long time with farmland around us. This was a great opportunity that the city was able to purchase that through our CDC (Conrad Development Corporation). We’re just so thankful to be able to keep growing.”

Emma Hall, Dollar General’s public relations specialist, said the company is excited to open a store in Conrad that allows people a way of conveniently purchasing affordable household essentials.

“Dollar General sells quality, name-brand and private brand merchandise such as foods, health and beauty products, home cleaning supplies, housewares, stationery, seasonal items and basic clothing,” Hall said. “In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted brands such as Clorox, Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Nabisco, Hanes, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola.”

Most Dollar General stores employ approximately 6-10 people. Wilson noted three employees have been hired in Conrad, and the store is advertising for additional help. Bringing Dollar General to Conrad has been several years in the works.

“There was some discussion about five, six years ago. We declined to have them,” Wilson noted. “The city council and the mayor, they kind of revisited it and just looked at what the residents need. We have to cater to all age groups. A bit of our community doesn’t drive and get out of town.”

Wilson said new businesses always help a community economically, and she encourages people to shop local.

“I really give it up to Jeff Martin, our mayor, and our city administrator, Lori Stansberry, they really put in some hard work, as well as Luke Wilson, city engineer. He’s president of the CDC,” Wilson said. “And our two city workers, Nick Kitzman and Al Paxson. It’s a giant group effort. It takes a village.”

Whether it’s a last-minute birthday card, diapers, cold/flu medication, snacks or salad dressing to go with dinner, Dollar General sells it.

“Our customers are at the center of all that we do, and meeting customers’ needs is Dollar General’s top priority when choosing store locations,” Hall said. “In 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. We further strive to provide convenience for customers who may not have affordable nearby retail options.”

To learn more about Dollar General, visit: www.dollargeneral.com.