Discount chain Dollar General has acquired Charlotte-based chain Dollar Express, and is closing all 323 Express stores, including the one in Bridgeport at 525 John St. All eight employees there will be laid off by June 30, as will employees at Express”™ other Connecticut locations in Bloomfield, Groton, Meriden, New Haven and West Hartford.
Under the deal, Dollar General is acquiring the real estate and leases, but not the inventory of Dollar Express for an undisclosed amount. Dollar Express has notified state officials that it plans to lay off employees and liquidate inventory by June 30. Dollar General has the option of reopening the stores under the General name; current Express employees would need to reapply.
In 2015 Dollar Tree bested Dollar General in a bidding war for Family Dollar. Today Dollar Tree operates those stores as Dollar Tree and Family Dollar outlets.
