Ian Hassranah

There are at least three “dollar stores” in Lehigh Acres and come spring, there will be two more.

The land is being cleared this week to build another Family Dollar Store on the corner of Joel Blvd. And David Ave., while yet another one is nearing completion in the 3500 block of western Lee Blvd., on the other side of town.

Family Dollar purchased a 1.14-acre parcel of land in Lehigh Acres for $500,000, making this the discount store’s third location the area, despite an announcement by a nationwide real estate firm’s that it is the second in Lehigh.

Ian Hassranah, the store manager of Family Dollar in the Winn-Dixie shopping plaza, said there is definitely a need for an additional two stores in Lehigh because of the community’s population and because of the economy.

“Family Dollar can offer most things much cheaper than the other stores and now with the stores being built larger, we are also adding to our inventory and carrying more things,” Hassranah said.

Family General under construction is underway in the 3500 block of Lee Blvd. west. MEL TOADVINE

The Family Dollar store on Homestead Rd. has been there for at least 15 years, store personnel there say.

The announcement of the third Family Dollar store to be built, while the second one is yet under construction, was made by Jim Garinger, the managing director and principal of Colliers International Southwest Florida, who represented the seller, PBW Investments LLC.

The buyer, The Hutton Company, a developer for Family Dollar based out of Chattanooga, Tenn., was represented by Mike Concilla of CB Richard Ellis.

Hutton Company officials say they see an extremely positive outlook for the discount chain as it continues to develop and open new stores, including in Southwest Florida.

The state has more than 425 Family Dollar stores, secondly only to Texas, while the chain has more than 7,000 stores nationwide.

Family Dollar Store in Winn-Dixie shopping center. MEL TOADVINE

Local Lehigh Family Dollar Manager Ian Hassranah said his store on Homestead Rd. does a good volume of business.

“Times are rough for a lot of people and Family Dollar offers some very good prices to the public,” he said. He confirmed that two more Family Dollar stores were building built in Lehigh.

The Hutton Company scouted two other locations for this latest store and chose the corner of Joel Blvd. and David Ave. because of the dense residential area surrounding the property and the fact that both sides are street-facing, store officials said. Family Dollar’s mission is to provide value and convenience to the neighborhood it serves, said Leah Saunders of Bayview Public Relations in Tampa representing Colliers International.

The site where land preparation is underway is near Sweet Bay supermarket and an auto parts store. Down David Ave., are several comfortable well-built homes with nice landscaped lawns.

“This property is a good retail location because of the corner lot and the population in the area,” said Jim Garinger of Colliers International Southwest Florida, who spoke on behalf of the seller of the property. It faces the old Admiral Lehigh Golf Course from the David Ave. side.

Family Dollar at Joel Blvd. and David Ave. has just broken ground to build a third Dollar General Store in Lehigh Acres. MEL TOADVINE

The transaction closed on November 4 and construction of the 8,000 square foot store on Joel Blvd. and David Ave. is expected to begin immediately, just as soon as land is cleared. Tom Gudreau, the district manager for Family Dollar Stores in the area, said the two new stores will be larger than older ones and will carry much more of an inventory of items.

“People will be able to buy things that were only offered in bigger box stores,” he said.

Both stores are expected to be open by April, officials say; however, the store on David Ave. and Lee Blvd. has just broken ground.

Other “dollar stores” are in the Town Centre at the intersection of Leeland Heights Blvd. and Alabama Rd., and in the southern end of the Winn-Dixie shopping plaza.

And yet, another store called Dollar Store is also situated in Lehigh.

The last dollar store to be built, Dollar General, is located on Joel Blvd., next to Jack’s Market. It opened earlier this year.