Dollar General eyes west side for third Cove location

Dollar General Corporation is taking a serious look at the west side of Copperas Cove as a place to open a third location in the city. 

 

The site for a future store, located at the corner of West Business 190 and Cline Drive, recently had a final re-plat approved by the Copperas Cove Planning & Zoning Commission at the commission’s Nov. 28 meeting. 

 

Crystal Ghassemi with Dollar General’s public relations office said the company is doing its due diligence in determining if that site will be the best place to open a new store in Copperas Cove. In addition to doing the site evaluation, the company is also working to secure permits at the same time. 

 

“This is an opportunity for us to do our research and development to ensure that’s a good location for us. Obviously, the last thing we want to do is go through everything on our end, say yes went to move forward, only to find out we are unable to get the permits.”

 

Ghassemi said that in looking at the timeline, it doesn’t look like a final decision will be made until late spring 2017. 

 

“Obviously, value is what they find inside the store, and convenience will be the store location. Typically our customers are coming to us within a three- to five-mile radius, so understanding that convenience factor is key to shopping patterns and shopping habits,” she said. “We want to make sure we are putting locations in areas that are easy for people to get to.” 

 

The company is also taking a look at traffic patterns in that area on the west side of Copperas Cove.

 

The west end of Copperas Cove has had its share of housing areas pop up over the years, to include the Cline Drive area as well as housing off nearby F.M. 2657 and as far west as the developments off Big Divide Road. 

 

The Cline Drive and West Business 190 property is already zoned B4, or General Retail District. 

 

This would be the third Dollar General in the city, with one located in Cove Terrace Shopping Center and another at 814 N. 1st St., also a fairly new construction, having opened in 2014 after up-sizing from its prior location at the corner of N. 1st Street and Bonnie Lane.