Discount retailer Dollar General is confronting an increasing wave of store closures and substantial financial penalties due to widespread safety violations. These issues largely stem from an overwhelming quantity of merchandise that obstructs aisles, exits, and critical safety equipment. Federal and local authorities have intervened repeatedly, citing the company for persistent hazardous conditions across numerous locations nationwide.
In recent months, a significant number of Dollar General stores have been temporarily shut down by local officials. These closures often follow inspections that reveal an excess of products creating fire hazards and impeding essential pathways for both customers and emergency personnel. The situations have drawn direct attention from public safety directors and fire marshals across various states, prompting immediate action.
For instance, in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Chris Key, the director of public safety, reported numerous complaints concerning two Dollar General locations in Gretna and Mount Hermon. Key explained that “merchandise being stacked in the aisles with no clearance or room to move around” directly led to his visits. He also emphasized that “Exits and exit routes also cannot, generally speaking, be blocked for fire safety,” a fundamental principle of public safety.
Key further detailed the severity of the obstructions, noting the critical necessity to “keep the area in front of the electric panel clear.” Reflecting on the potential reasons behind these conditions, he stated, “I don’t know if they don’t have enough time to get supplies on the shelves [or] don’t have a big enough storage room.” An inspection in November, prompted by customer complaints at the Gretna store, uncovered “carts full of stock to be put onto the shelves, partially blocking the aisles.”
Officials in Gretna also observed a lack of “sufficient clearance between the height of the stock and the ceiling,” in addition to an inoperable heating system and blocked electric panels. The store had undergone multiple visits in the weeks preceding its temporary closure due to these persistent issues. Key indicated these two stores were the only ones in his jurisdiction requiring in-person intervention for inventory and safety concerns.
North Carolina has also experienced similar shutdowns due to unsafe conditions. Watauga County Fire Marshal Shane Garland closed two stores because they had “aisle and exits blocked,” according to information from The Watauga Democrat. Just recently, two other Dollar General stores in Vilas and Zionville were also forced to temporarily close over safety issues after fire inspectors found dangerous conditions that impeded safe passage.
In Wisconsin, a Dollar General store in Mondovi was compelled to shut down for several days on December 2 after failing a follow-up fire inspection amid ongoing customer complaints. Mondovi Fire Chief Steve Anderson highlighted the core problems found, stating, “The biggest violations was the means of egress of the customers and the firefighters if needed.” He further clarified, “Aisles were kind of blocked. The back room was blocked. [Those are] some of the situations we had to get corrected.”
Insider, a news publication, has identified additional stores that closed due to inventory-related issues, drawing on public records and conversations with local officials. These specific locations include sites in Watauga County, North Carolina; Cadott, Wisconsin; Maple Lake, Minnesota; and Mount Pleasant, Texas. This growing list illustrates a widespread and recurring pattern of safety breaches across multiple states.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal agency tasked with overseeing workplace safety in the U.S., has been issuing citations to various Dollar General locations for many years. Since 2017, Dollar General and its subsidiary, Dolgencorp, have accumulated over $12.3 million in initial penalties. These significant fines are for “numerous willful, repeat and serious workplace safety violations,” as detailed in an agency press release issued in November.
OSHA’s oversight has proven to be extensive and continuous, with the agency proposing more than $21 million in fines since 2017. This substantial figure results from conducting 240 inspections at Dollar General stores nationwide. The agency consistently uncovers persistent safety issues across the retailer’s expansive network of locations.
The agency further elaborated on the scope of its findings, stating, “During the past five years, OSHA found unsafe conditions that expose workers to the possibility of being struck by falling boxes of merchandise or trapped or unable to exit the store safely in an emergency in more than 180 inspections at Dollar General stores nationwide.” These hazardous conditions commonly include aisles, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and electrical panels being blocked by stored merchandise and other materials.
The U.S. Department of Labor reported that unsafe conditions, typically identified in earlier inspections, were again prevalent during nine new inspections conducted in late 2022. These most recent checks, carried out at Dollar General locations in Maine, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin, added another $3.4 million in proposed penalties to Dollar General’s escalating total.
In Enfield, Maine, an inspection in November 2022, prompted by a specific complaint, uncovered significant safety hazards. OSHA investigators found “rolling containers and boxes of products obstructing or completely blocking access to an emergency exit.” Inspectors additionally noted “carts clogging aisles and preventing quick access to fire extinguishers,” along with goods “stacked unsafely up to 6 feet high in front of and around an electrical panel.”
Furthermore, the Enfield store failed to visually inspect its fire extinguishers at least monthly, a mandatory safety practice. Consequently, DG Retail LLC, the operator of the Enfield location, was cited with five repeat violations. These critical lapses in safety protocols led to proposed penalties totaling $321,419, underscoring the severity of the findings.
Between late October and late December 2022, OSHA launched inspections at six Dollar General stores across North Dakota: Casselton, Garrison, Hillsboro, Killdeer, Minot, and Tioga. These comprehensive inspections were initiated due to concerns raised by state fire marshals at four of the locations and specific complaints received about two others. Inspectors consistently documented “exit routes, doors, fire extinguishers and electrical panels blocked and unsafely stacked merchandise.”
A particularly alarming incident unfolded at the Minot store in December 2022, where at least six employees suffered exposure to toxic vapors. This occurred after several chemical containers ruptured and their contents mixed, with three employees subsequently requiring medical treatment. OSHA cited Dollar General for failing to provide employees with adequate respiratory protection, necessary personal protective equipment, and proper training on safe handling of hazardous chemicals and effective clean-up procedures.
The extensive North Dakota inspections culminated in OSHA identifying 32 violations within a concentrated two-month period during the fall of 2022. These numerous and severe findings resulted in proposed penalties amounting to a substantial $2.5 million. The detailed citations for these inspections are publicly available, providing transparency regarding the numerous safety failures.
In Kettering, Ohio, OSHA inspectors observed similar persistent issues at a Dollar General store during an inspection in November 2022. They reported that “exit routes, fire extinguishers and electrical panels blocked by merchandise and other materials” were prevalent throughout the store. The agency subsequently issued citations for three repeat violations directly related to fire and electrical hazards, proposing penalties of $270,116 for this location.
A complaint of unsafe working conditions in Kewaunee, Wisconsin, prompted an OSHA investigation in November 2022, which uncovered widespread violations. Investigators discovered “exit routes, fire extinguishers and electrical panels blocked by unsafely stacked merchandise and other materials.” Citations were issued for four repeat and four willful violations, covering unsafe electrical cords, uninspected fire extinguishers, crushing hazards, and conditions that would prevent employees from safely exiting the store in an emergency. OSHA has proposed $367,216 in penalties for this location, and this long history of “willful, repeat and serious workplace safety violations” has led OSHA to include Dollar General Corp. in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker strongly emphasized the gravity and systemic nature of the situation. He unequivocally stated, “Dollar General continues to expose its employees to unsafe conditions at its stores across the nation.” Parker urged the company to take decisive and comprehensive action, adding, “As one of the nation’s largest retailers, the company must focus its attention on resolving these issues and making corporate-wide changes to protect the safety and well-being of the people they employ.”
The perilous and overcrowded conditions within many Dollar General stores have also become a prominent topic in public discourse, particularly across social media platforms. Users on both Twitter and TikTok have widely shared observations and concerns about the state of the stores. One user captured a common sentiment by writing, “Why are all Dollar General’s like this? Doesn’t matter what location you go to, they are full of carts and boxes!”
Employees themselves have shed light on the significant operational difficulties posed by the excessive inventory. A delivery driver, speaking to Insider, shared that they sometimes are forced to bring deliveries back to the distribution center when Dollar General stores in their Midwest territory are closed due to insurmountable excess inventory. Such frequent closures disrupt delivery schedules and underscore the severity of the logistical problem.
Travis Bennett, an assistant manager at a Dollar General in Anderson, Indiana, posted a TikTok video in November that vividly showcased his store’s dangerously overcrowded state. His video illustrated aisles crammed with plastic crates, “rolltainers” positioned at each end cap, and towering stacks of boxes obscuring what appeared to be an emergency exit, demonstrating a clear breach of safety protocols.
In his viral video, Bennett articulated the immense frustration and daily challenges faced by store staff, stating, “We are in a position we cannot get ourselves out of. We are overloaded with freight.” He concluded his candid observation with a stark and alarming assessment: “This is the condition of most Dollar General stores across the country,” suggesting a systemic issue rather than isolated incidents.
Dollar General did not immediately provide a response to Entrepreneur’s request for comment regarding these widespread and escalating safety issues. However, the company informed Insider that when it becomes aware of safety issues, it “work[s] to timely address the issue and ensure that the company’s expectations regarding safety are clearly communicated, understood and implemented,” indicating a commitment to resolution.
In a separate statement provided to Best Life, a Dollar General spokesperson reiterated the company’s official stance and commitment to safety. They stated, “As a growing retailer serving thousands of communities across the country, Dollar General is committed to providing a safe work environment for its associates and shopping experience for its customers.” The spokesperson added that the company “regularly review[s] and refine[s] our safety programs, and reinforce[s] them through training, ongoing communication, recognition, and accountability.” They emphasized that when the company learns of situations where it has failed to meet this commitment, it works to address the issue promptly and ensure that expectations regarding safety are clearly communicated, understood, and implemented.
It is worth noting that these safety challenges are not exclusive to Dollar General within the broader discount retail sector. Dollar Tree Inc. also faced new citations from OSHA, with a report on February 23 detailing issues at its store in Mount Pleasant, Texas. Following an investigation initiated in September 2022, OSHA identified three “serious” repeat violations at the location, indicating similar industry-wide pressures.
The unsafe conditions documented at the Dollar Tree location included obstructed exit routes, blocked walkways, and precarious storage practices. Hazards identified ranged from potential trip hazards caused by items such as mop buckets and boxes, to significant falling object hazards from boxes stacked higher than nine feet. OSHA proposed penalty fines totaling $254,478 for these specific violations.
A spokesperson for Dollar Tree informed Best Life that the company was taking the concerns identified at its Mount Pleasant store “seriously.” They further confirmed that the company had already “remediated the issues,” indicating prompt action in response to the OSHA findings.
Beyond these safety-mandated temporary closures, Dollar General announced separate strategic store closures in its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024 report on March 13, 2025. The company intends to close 96 Dollar General locations and 45 pOpshelf stores, its sister company focused on home decor, as part of a broader portfolio adjustment.
These planned closures are the result of a comprehensive “store portfolio optimization review.” This internal evaluation involved “identifying stores for closure or re-bannering, based on an evaluation of individual store performance, expected future performance and operating conditions, among other factors.” The company projects these specific closures to occur by May of the year of the announcement.
Despite these strategic closures, which collectively represent less than 1% of the company’s overall repertoire, Dollar General maintains aggressive growth plans for the coming year. Chief Executive Officer Todd Vasos confirmed the company’s intention to open “575 new stores in the U.S. and up to 15 in Mexico” in 2025. Additionally, the retailer has plans to remodel over 4,000 existing locations, demonstrating a dual strategy of optimization and expansion.
Based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Dollar General Corp. and Dolgencorp LLC together operate an extensive network of approximately 19,000 stores and 28 distribution centers across 47 states. The company employs more than 173,000 workers, making it a significant employer in the retail sector. In fiscal year 2022, the company reported over $9 billion in net sales, underscoring its massive presence and economic impact.
Dollar General has a 15-business-day window from the receipt of its citations and penalties to either comply with the findings, formally request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This established process allows the company to address the violations through official channels.
The ongoing saga of Dollar General’s safety violations illustrates a deeply persistent and systemic challenge for a major national retailer. From alarmingly blocked emergency exits and fire extinguishers to unsafely stacked merchandise and even incidents of chemical exposure, the issues documented are gravely concerning, impacting thousands of employees and millions of customers. As federal and local authorities continue their diligent monitoring and levy substantial fines, the imperative for profound, corporate-wide change remains at the absolute forefront, demanding a renewed and unwavering focus on the fundamental safety and essential well-being of everyone who steps through their doors.
