Michigan Domination: Store With the Most Locations in the State

If you had to guess which business has the most locations in Michigan, what would be your first guess? McDonald's? Nope, think again. Starbucks? I'm not sure how to type a buzzer sound effect, so here goes...ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! What about WalMart or Meijer? Sorry, thanks for playing. While these businesses have a slew of storefronts in Michigan, none come close to Dollar General's sheer geographic dominance.

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Dollar General's growth in Michigan seems incomprehensible. Still, when you consider that, according to a Wall Street Journal 2022 report, the company adds 2.5 stores per day in the United States, it becomes slightly more clear.

Dollar General's Growth Strategy Paying Off in Rural America

Dollar General's business plan involves selling cheap goods in high volume in underserved areas and judging by the retailer's location dominance in Michigan and around the United States, it's working. Think about the store's location nearest you. How far is it from the nearest big-box retailer? Dollar General's genius is being willing to build and operate where the big guys won't.

This doesn't mean that everyone is happy in Dollar General Land. The company is notorious for its lower-than-average wages and less-than-desirable working conditions. Entire store teams have walked out due to staffing and store issues. Be honest: Have you ever been in a well-stocked Dollar General without aisles cluttered with boxes or carts full of unstocked merchandise where the workers seem happy?

How Many Dollar Generals Are There in Michigan

While the number could have changed while writing this article, as of publication, the number of Dollar Generals in Michigan varies from 696 to north of 700. For comparison's sake, there are 537 McDonald's, Starbucks has 310, and Meijer has just 123. At one time, an argument could be made that Subway was the store with the most locations. However, many have shut down, perhaps due to staffing issues stemming from COVID-19, going from well over 800 locations to under 700.

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Like them or loathe them, Dollar Generals are everywhere in Michigan. If we could only get them to pay a little better and stock those shelves, they may become less of a punchline and more of the lifeline small Michigan towns need.