Dollar General to bring new urban-concept DGX store to Mass Ave

The fast-growing discount retailer Dollar General Corp., which traditionally has focused on small-town and rural markets, is bringing its new urban-focused concept store, DGX, to the Penrose on Mass development at 530 Massachusetts Ave.

The store will occupy a 4,736-square-foot ground-level retail space in the building and is expected to open in late July.

Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based Dollar General launched its DGX concept in 2017 with one store in Nashville, Tennessee. The company now has 14 DGX stores and is on track to add a total of 20 this year. The Indianapolis store will be the first of its kind in Indiana.

“We are excited for the opportunity to serve downtown communities and city-dwellers with the essentials they need in a convenient, easy-to-shop format through our DGX store,” Dollar General Senior Vice President of Real Estate and Development Dan Nieser said in a prepared statement.

The DGX concept represents new territory for discount-store giant Dollar General, which has doubled its store count since 2007 and had 16,500 stores as of May 1. About 75% of existing Dollar General stores are in small towns and rural areas, and DGX represents the retailer’s attempt to reach out to a different type of shopper—the urban millennial.

Though both types of stores focus on low-priced merchandise, DGX differs from Dollar General’s traditional stores in several ways.

DGX stores feature a selection of merchandise designed to appeal to downtown dwellers, including fresh produce, an expanded health and beauty section, frozen and refrigerated food, snacks, pet supplies, paper products, cleaning supplies, home décor, electronics and seasonal items.

The DGX stores are also considerably smaller than the traditional Dollar General store size of 7,300 square feet.

“It’s a really nice convenience, but with some fresh foods as well,” said Beth Patterson, principal and director of retail services at Indianapolis-based Resource Commercial Real Estate, which handles retail leasing for Penrose on Mass. “I think it’s a really good fit because it’s something that is not around there.”

The Penrose on Mass store will occupy Suite 130, which is next to the restaurant LouVino.

With the leasing of the DGX space, 10 of Penrose on Mass’s 13 retail spaces now have tenants, with a mix that includes two restaurants, a coffee/tea shop, a bank, two fitness studios, a candy store, a cell phone store and a phone repair shop. The three remaining spots include the development’s largest retail spot, a 6,702-square-foot space on the southern end of the property where Massachusetts Avenue and New Jersey Street intersect; a 3,583-square-foot space adjacent to DGX; and a 3,360-square-foot space adjacent to the building’s lobby.

Patterson said she is in talks with several potential tenants for the available spaces, including restaurants, but she declined to give further details.

In other news this week:

— Quaff ON! Brewing Co., 1934 N. Indiana 135 in Nashville, plans to relocate to the 325-acre Hard Truth Hills distillery/restaurant/entertainment complex just east of Nashville at 418 Old State Road 46.

Quaff ON! will build a 20,000-square-foot brewery at the Hard Truth Hills site, allowing the beer-maker to double its production and add six employees. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2021, with beer production and tours to begin in fall 2021. Nashville-based BWQOHT Inc. is the umbrella company under which both Hard Truth Hills and Quaff ON! operate.

Once Quaff ON! has moved, Westfield-based EdgeRock Development plans to convert the former brewery site into a 75-unit apartment complex called Orchard Hill Apartments.

— Jiffy Lube of Indiana is opening its newest store at 13855 Olivia Way in Fishers. A ribbon-cutting is planned for Monday. This is Jiffy Lube of Indiana’s second Fishers location and its 49^th overall. The company has stores in both Indiana and northeast Illinois.

— Bru Burger Bar’s newest location is now open at 8711 River Crossing Blvd. Suite 150, next to the Fashion Mall at Keystone. Bru Burger now has 11 restaurants in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, with a 12th coming soon in South Bend. Bru Burger is operated by Indianapolis-based Cunningham Restaurant Group, whose other eateries include Mesh, Rize, Union 50, Stone Creek Dining Co. and Livery.

— Tire Discounters has opened a store at the corner of Pendleton Pike and East 42^nd St., at 7705 E. 42^nd St. The Cincinnati-based retailer has more than 130 stores in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, including eight in the Indianapolis area.

— 16 Bit Bar + Arcade reopened its Indianapolis location, 110 E. New York St., on Wednesday. The company says it’s taking a number of steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including using hand-held ultraviolet lights to sterilize its pinball machines and game consoles; putting six feet of space between tables; and offering table service to prevent people from congregating at the bar. Employees will wear masks at all times and customers are encouraged to wear masks in common areas, including the bathrooms.