WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. — On Wednesday afternoon, Dollar Tree Inc. of Chesapeake, Virginia announced that it will be rebuilding and renovating the Family Dollar distribution center in West Memphis, Arkansas after it closed over a year ago due to a rat infestation, as well as several live and dead birds found inside the building.
According to reports from Arkansas Business, the company plans to reopen the distribution center in about a year and it will employ more than 300 people.
In a press release, Dollar Tree said they will be investing "over $100 million" into their new facility and they added that it is "being rebuilt with a strong emphasis on safety, sanitation and compliance and will serve as a model of excellence for all facilities in the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar network.”
The release went on to say that the 850,000-square-foot facility will also include “a full interior demolition and remodel, with new features like added building-wide temperature control, automated LED lighting, racking, expanded associate amenities and office space.”
The company explained that the new distribution center will serve up to a thousand Family Dollar stores in the region.
“This is more than a reopening, it’s a transformation,” said Mike Kindy, Dollar Tree’s executive vice president and chief supply chain officer. “Our West Memphis facility will have a full interior demolition and wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling rebuild. This integral distribution center will drive industry-leading product safety standards, offer an excellent employment experience, strengthen our bonds with the community, and better support our Family Dollar stores who depend on us throughout the region.”
According to the company, in Arkansas alone, there are over 200 Family Dollar and Dollar Tree stores that employ more than 2,300 people. They also added that they are planning on opening "dozens more" stores across the state.