When Dollar General opened its Blair, Nebraska, distribution center in summer 2023, the company wasn’t simply adding square footage to support its global supply chain network. It was making a long-term investment in the Greater Omaha region.
The more than one-million-square-foot facility is a dual-purpose operation designed to support both traditional distribution and its DG Fresh capabilities for refrigerated and frozen products.
The facility was their “first ground-up, dual-purpose facility,” according to a Dollar General spokesperson.
For site selectors and business owners evaluating new markets, the Dollar General project offers a case study in what the Greater Omaha region can deliver: a reliable workforce, a pro-business environment and a network of partners equipped to move major projects from concept to completion.
Dollar General designed the Blair distribution center to strengthen its ability to support its stores throughout the Midwest and ensure customers have the products they need and depend on Dollar General to provide when they visit their local store.
The emphasis is not only on size but on capability. The Company’s first dual-purpose, ground-up distribution model allows Dollar General to move both shelf-stable and temperature-controlled goods through adjacent facilities, further supported by its DG Private Fleet presence, to support its modern retail supply chain where speed, freshness and reliability matter.
Greater Omaha stood out in the site selection process for Dollar General.
Dollar General evaluated multiple factors when deciding where to locate a new distribution center. Those factors align closely with the criteria most site selectors use when weighing markets.
“Dollar General takes several factors into consideration when choosing distribution center sites, including proximities to DG stores, local business environments and local workforces, among others,” the spokesperson said.
In other words, the company wasn’t simply chasing incentives. It was looking for a location with the fundamentals to support long-term operations including labor availability, business climate and geographic positioning.
Dollar General also viewed the project as a two-way investment.
“Each distribution center represents positive economic impact in the communities it serves, and we are proud to be a part of the Greater Omaha region,” the spokesperson added.
For employers considering expansion, workforce is often the deciding factor.
“The strength of the Blair and greater Omaha workforce was a foundational reason when choosing where to invest,” the spokesperson said.
That workforce advantage translated into hundreds of new jobs and career growth opportunities at the Dollar General facility.
The company also emphasized it has been able to build a high-performing team, then use that operational success as a model across its network.
For site selectors, that’s a meaningful signal. It suggests the region can not only staff a major facility but also support operational excellence and continuous improvement over time.
Large-scale projects rarely succeed without productive coordination across local and state partners. Dollar General’s experience in Blair helps highlights the strength of the Greater Omaha region’s collaborative approach to economic development.
“We are grateful for the continued partnerships and collaboration that helped us to deepen our roots in Nebraska,” the spokesperson added.
That kind of alignment matters to companies making long-term investments. It reduces friction, accelerates timelines and helps projects stay resilient as needs evolve.
For business leaders evaluating a new market, that combination of operational confidence and community investment can be a strong indicator of staying power.
Dollar General says it continues to evaluate how it can best serve communities across the region through multiple parts of its business as its Blair distribution center contributes to their overall Nebraska footprint
“We continue to evaluate how we can best serve the communities we call home through our store, distribution and Fleet presence and recently opened a new store in Fort Calhoun to extend our store offerings in Washington County,” the spokesperson said.
For the Greater Omaha region, the Blair distribution center is more than a single project. It is proof of concept for companies looking for a market that can support modern supply chains, talent needs and long-term growth.