Open Source: Dollar General development brings new business to Liberty Township property

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP — A vacant Liberty Township property will soon become home to a new Dollar General store.

The site at 7150 Columbus Road once belonged to Lyman Gates and featured horses for harness racing and a racetrack. Now, the property is entering a new chapter with the store under development.

Kennis Wilson, Liberty Township zoning inspector, said a realtor first contacted him about the property about 18 months ago to verify its commercial zoning and determine whether the township could split the plot of land.

Greg Schultz, the contractor, later contacted Wilson about pursuing the property for the Dollar General project.

According to an email from Dollar General, the store is slated to open in late fall 2026, although construction progress could change that date.

The store will employ approximately six to 10 people, depending on the individual needs of the store, according to Dollar General. People interested in working at the new store can apply for available positions through its careers website.

Plans for the store

Last year, the developers first sought a conditional-use permit through the Liberty Township Board of Zoning Appeals to reduce the number of required parking spaces.

The proposed building measures about 10,600 square feet. Under the township’s requirements, that size would have called for about 71 parking spaces.

“I don’t know a Dollar General around that needs 71 spots,” Wilson said.

The Board of Zoning Appeals approved the request, reducing the parking requirement to about 33 to 35 spaces. Wilson said the change did not affect the planned size of the building.

The project then saw little activity for about six to nine months before Schultz contacted Wilson again around April about pursuing a permit.

At that point, Schultz still needed to complete work involving the septic system, well and environmental requirements, and he had not yet purchased the property. Wilson said he could not issue the permit until those requirements were complete.

The permit came in June, and work began toward the end of the month, according to Wilson.

“Once I issue the permits, I just kind of wait to see if they’ve started within a year,” he said. “If they haven’t started within a year, then we have to go back and reissue the permits.

“But I know they have broken ground.”

(Story continues below. Site where construction has started for the new Dollar General location on Columbus Road. Credit: Cheryl Splain.)

He said crews had to build up part of the lot because the property sits in a floodplain.

According to an email from Dollar General, they consider several factors when selecting store locations, including whether a location can meet customers’ needs for price, value, selection and convenience.

The company said it also looks for locations where customers may not have affordable nearby retail options.

New business coming to the area

Wilson said Schultz has worked to meet the conditions placed on the project, including requirements for lighting.

Developers agreed to keep the building’s lighting from projecting onto neighboring properties, he added.

“So, Mr. Schultz is the one I’ve dealt with the most,” Wilson said. “And he’s been very compliant with meeting all the needs put out there for him.”

Wilson also recently issued a permit for the store’s signage. Kessler Sign Company of Zanesville will handle the signage.

The property purchase has drawn some frustration from people, Wilson said.

“The purpose of having property that is zoned commercial is to promote commercial business,” he said. “And that’s what property was zoned.”

Wilson said residents could benefit from having a business closer to home instead of driving to Mount Vernon.

Dollar General said the store will carry food, health and beauty products, cleaning supplies, housewares, seasonal items, clothing and other everyday merchandise.

The company also highlighted its community involvement through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations, schools and libraries within 15 miles of its stores or distribution centers. The foundation has awarded more than $292 million in grants since 1993, according to the company.