Dollar General plans about 450 new U.S. stores in 2026

Dollar General told investors in its December earnings-call commentary that it expects to open roughly 450 new stores in 2026, a level of expansion that will reverberate across store floors, distribution centers, and local labor markets. While the company pulled its target back somewhat from prior-year plans, the planned openings still represent a significant hiring and operational signal for the discount retail sector.

Opening hundreds of stores typically requires dozens of new store managers, assistant managers, sales associates, and stock and receiving staff at the store level. Those roles are only the first layer: store growth also drives demand for regional support such as district managers, trainer positions, and seasonal staffing. Beyond front-line hires, distribution, logistics, and supply chain teams must scale to stock new locations, which can lead to hiring at existing distribution centers as well as pressure to open new cross-dock or fulfillment capacity.

For employees and jobseekers, the announcement means more opportunities in markets where Dollar General plans to expand. For current store teams it also means near-term strains: more onboarding and training responsibilities for managers, potential short-term schedule juggling, and a heavier focus on recruiting and retention. Store-level turnover and the need to keep shelves stocked during ramp-up periods can increase stress on tenured employees who are asked to maintain daily operations while helping new hires get up to speed.

From an HR and operations perspective, building out hundreds of stores requires ramped recruiting pipelines, faster onboarding workflows, and more training resources. Payroll and scheduling systems will be tested as new stores go live, and local competition for hourly talent could push hiring incentives, sign-on bonuses, or adjusted pay bands in tight labor markets. Distribution and supply chain teams will need clear timelines for goods flow so new stores are stocked at opening and staffing is aligned with delivery schedules.

The expansion also carries community-level implications. New store openings can create entry-level jobs in small towns and suburban neighborhoods that rely on retail hiring. At the same time, rapid openings can stretch training capacity, making it harder to maintain a consistent customer experience across stores.

The takeaway? If you work at Dollar General, expect increased hiring activity that could mean promotion opportunities but also more training duties and short-term workload increases. If you are job hunting, keep an eye on local postings for store and distribution roles and be ready to move quickly. Our two cents? Managers should press HR for clear onboarding timelines and training support, and hourly workers should use openings as leverage to negotiate schedules, responsibilities, and pay where local demand is high.