Dollar Tree Inc. has decided to rebuild its massive distribution center in Marietta that was heavily damaged in a tornado 18 months ago.
Company officials and state politicians broke ground on the company’s new one million square-foot distribution center recently. The milestone marks a significant step in Dollar Tree’s return to the region in the wake of destruction of its prior facility at Marietta in April 2024.
Dollar Tree welcomed state and community leaders, including Gov. Kevin Stitt, U.S. Sen. James Lankford, and Marietta Mayor Destry Rushing, to celebrate the announcement.
Company officials said they anticipate the enhanced distribution center to be fully operational by spring 2027, bringing 400 badly needed jobs back to the community. The new facility will serve approximately 700 Dollar Tree stores across the West and Southwest regions of the U.S.
“Today’s groundbreaking is a significant and celebratory moment for Dollar Tree and the Marietta community,” said Mike Creedon, chief executive officer of the company.
“Our rebuilt distribution center demonstrates our commitment to the region, which is inspired by the community’s strength and resiliency. We look forward to welcoming back many of our former associates, creating hundreds of new jobs for the community, and continuing to strengthen our foundation for the future.”
As part of the groundbreaking, Dollar Tree announced $50,000 in community grants to local organizations in the Marietta area. Those included the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Big Five Community Action, Community Youth Services of Southern Oklahoma, Marietta Special Olympics, the Marietta Police Department, and the Love County Fire Department.
“This distribution center represents a renewal of our deep support for the Marietta community and an important step forward for Dollar Tree,” said Roxanne Weng, the company’s chief supply chain officer. “We are rebuilding this facility from the ground up, marking a critical investment for our supply chain and ensuring long-term growth and opportunity in the region.”
The Dollar Tree distribution center near Marietta along the west side of Interstate 35 was heavily damaged by an EF-4 tornado on April 27, 2024.
“Given the facility cannot be reopened in the foreseeable future, we met with our distribution center team to share the incredibly difficult news that the warehouse will close at this time,” a company spokesperson announced in a statement.
The 456 employees at the Marietta facility received two months’ pay, in addition to support including severance packages, benefits and access to the company’s Emotional Wellbeing Solutions resources, the company said in its statement.
“As proud members of the Marietta community for more than 20 years, this region remains extremely important to the Dollar Tree family and to our broader supply chain network,” the company relayed in 2024.
None of the associates who were employed at the Marietta distribution center was injured at the facility during the tornado, the company announced from corporate headquarters at Chesapeake, Virginia.