Dollar General Corporation is an American chain of discount stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2024, Dollar General operated 20,388 stores in the contiguous United States and Mexico. The company began in 1939 in Scottsville, Kentucky, as a family-owned business called J.L. Turner and Son, owned by James Luther Turner and Cal Turner. In 1955, the firm opened the first Dollar General store, and in 1968 the company went public on the New York Stock Exchange as the Dollar General Corporation. The Fortune 500 recognized Dollar General in 1999, and in 2020 it reached No. 112 on the list. Dollar General has grown to become one of the most profitable stores in the rural United States, with revenue reaching around $42 billion in 2025. The company and its business practices have been subject to criticism, particularly regarding how it may be creating and perpetuating food deserts and stifling local businesses while offering fewer and lower-paying jobs.