Family Dollar closer to reality?

The planned Family Dollar store in Monongah, which is taking longer than a turtle carrying an elephant across the Sahara, is on the front burner again.

Apparently.

Monongah Mayor Greg Vandetta said it’s reached the point where Mr. Franklin of Parkway Contractors, 5470 Old Stage Road, Chuckey, Tennessee will own the property and lease the building to Family Dollar.

Franklin is awaiting the contracts, which he thought would arrive last Friday.

Franklin said the hope is that “within the next couple of months, that things should be started out there” -- at Camden Avenue and Walnut Street.

The Huntington Bank building was razed at the site where the Pulice, Fiori and Gumont families took turns living before the home was torn down to make way for the bank.

That would mean about three years from the demolition of the Huntington Bank Building at Camden Avenue and Walnut Street and the actual opening of the Family Dollar Store.

Family Dollar was acquired by Dollar Tree last year, but will keep the Family Dollar name, at least for now.  The Federal Trade Commission required the enlarged Dollar Tree to sell 330 of the Family Dollar stores to Sycamore Partners, a private equity firm, in an attempt to prevent a monopoly among the super-discount retailers.

Dollar Tree, whose headquarters is in Chesapeake, Virginia, has 4,900 stores. Family Dollar, based in Matthews, North Carolina, had 1,400 stores. Dollar General, out of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, has more than 10,000 stores.

Because “Dollar” is in the name of stores from different companies, here’s how it breaks down in Marion and Harrison counties:

Family Dollar: Fairhills Plaza, 609 Bellview Boulevard, Fairmont; 917 E. Park Avenue, Fairmont; 204 S. Pike Street, Shinnston.

Dollar General: 1228 Country Club Road, Fairmont; 4584 Freedom Highway, Worthington; Middletown Hall, White Hall; 218 Adams Street, Fairmont.