• The Tennessean, Wednesday, December 7, 2011 9:40 AM

Money-flush discounter Dollar General wants to target "food deserts" — geographic areas lacking grocers. Dollar General’s food market concept was put on hold after the Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based chain had brought on new leadership in 2008. But chief executive Rick Dreiling told investors in a conference call that the market store push will “play an expanding role in the future of Dollar General.”

There are 62 Dollar General Market stores in nine states with 40 more planned in 2012. In Las Vegas, five food market stores opened last month. It was the first time that Dollar General’s expanding concept had moved west of the Mississippi, the company said. The new market stores will represent only 6.4% of the company’s overall expansion plans in the year ahead. Dollar General has plans for 625 new locations in total next year.

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