Staff writer
Discount retailer Dollar General should open its doors to the public around Thanksgiving, if the final weeks of construction go as smoothly as the first couple of months.
Rupe Construction superintendent Dave Moore said the process has gone according to plan, save for a couple minor adjustments.
“We’ve had a few setbacks, but nothing major,” he said. “Really we’ve done so many of these, it’s more ‘adjustments’ than it is ‘problems.’”
Moore said the project is the second Dollar General he has personally overseen, but when completed, it will be the 15th location his company will have completed this year.
Moore, who said he has been living at Country Inn Motel since August, said he will move on to oversee a Dollar General construction in Howard next. Having worked with local contractors throughout the process, Moore said he’s already recommended Hett Construction and Hett Excavating for the Howard project.
This week, Hett Construction has been working on concrete for the parking lot and loading dock surrounding the building. David Hett said the company is in its sixth week of an eight-week stay on the project.
Moore said during his stay, he’s enjoyed the people in Marion.
“They’re all friendly,” he said. “I’ve even had another Hett that’s not even associated with the building, he’s had me over for dinner. Rocky Hett and his wife. Everybody’s been friendly as can be.”
Moore said he passes the time mostly by filing reports for the project and looking forward.
“Tomorrow I’ve got the city of Marion and Atmos coming out to put the water lines to the building, so I need to have my plumber here next week to start hooking all that up,” he said. “You just need to be looking ahead and seeing what needs to be done. That fills up some of my time in the evenings.”
Moore said he made it back to his Tulsa-area home this past weekend for the first time since coming to Marion.
Hett said it’s been a pleasure working with Moore, and that he’s glad Marion brought a large retailer like Dollar General to town.
“It’s time for Marion to let the chains in,” Hett said. “A mom and pop wear out after a while.”
But Moore said even when faced with the competition, Marionites have greeted him with a smile.
“Even the people at the grocery store and some of the other places that know this is gonna be a little bit of competition,” Moore said. “Everybody’s been nothing but positive.”