Just the words “dollar store” evoke images of aisle upon aisle of discount merchandise — housewares, light bulbs, bright green flip flops — but if Dollar General has anything to do with it, those words will also make you think of buying groceries.

The Wall Street Journal says Dollar General is making a move into the grocery business with 40 new Dollar General Market stores opening over the next year. Those locations will offer fresh food and more refrigerated products in midsize stores, in the hopes that shoppers will come by more often and skip those trips to Walmart and other big box chains.

Dollar General’s CEO sees the competition from Walmart, Target and others as a race to become “the new general store.” He sees it as a place where thrifty shoppers can stock up on the essentials for bargain prices, without having to navigate ginormous supercenters.

Dollar General Markets are around 16,000 square feet — twice the size of a typical dollar store but smaller than a big box store.

It could be pretty handy to buy neon beach towels and grab some fresh fruit for the beach at the same time. Or it could feel weird, but then okay, but maybe weird again, then fine and convenient, and who cares? You’re saving money.

A General-Store Race Is On [Wall Street Journal]

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