NEW ORLEANS – Dollar General has reduced its New Orleans footprint from 11 stores to one since August 2024, including the recent closures of locations on Poland Avenue, North Broad Street and Earhart Boulevard, as workers seek severance pay, transfer opportunities and an explanation from the retailer.
Dollar General Workers Seek Severance, Transfers
Workers organizing with the New Economic Justice Organizing Project said some employees learned a week before the closure that they had lost their jobs, while others said they were informed the morning of a scheduled shift that the stores were no longer open.
Dollar General previously said its decision to close five New Orleans East stores in August 2024 resulted from an evaluation of the “operational effectiveness” of those locations. The company also closed a DG Market on St. Bernard Avenue in September 2025 and a store on South Claiborne Avenue in April 2026. Dollar General has not publicly announced a reason for the most recent New Orleans closures.
Workers organizing with the New Economic Justice Organizing Project are calling for four weeks of severance pay, transfers for employees interested in remaining with the company and additional information about why the stores were closed.
“I was working for Dollar General at 1111 Poland Avenue for eight months, and I put in some serious time and work. I even made a lot of sacrifices, just to help keep the store running smoothly,” said Earl Pellerin. “It’s really sad that the staff was unaware that this type of business would do such an unprofessional thing like this and not let the people know ahead of time. Now everyone has to start all over again, and they said they will pay us up until the 26th of June. That’s not enough to carry us through until we find a new beginning.”
“I feel hurt that they did what they did. It’s like being stripped from something you love and enjoy doing,” said Jeremiah Dunning, one of the impacted workers at the Poland Avenue location.
Advocates said the closures also reduce access to groceries and household goods for some residents, particularly those who rely on nearby discount retailers.
“With the store closing, it affects my ability to take care of my family and the resources it provides for the community,” said David Williams, one of the impacted workers at the Earhart Drive location. “Not many folks are able to get around, make groceries, or get the essentials they need.”
National Growth Continues
Dollar General is continuing to grow nationally despite reducing its New Orleans presence.
Earlier this year, the company announced plans to open approximately 450 stores nationwide in 2026, relocate about 20 stores and remodel thousands of existing locations, while also closing 96 Dollar General stores and 45 pOpshelf stores following a review of its real estate portfolio.
Step Up Louisiana has previously raised concerns about workplace safety, staffing levels and store conditions at dollar store chains, including during campaigns surrounding Dollar General’s New Orleans East closures in 2024. Organizers said they are continuing to support affected employees as they seek new jobs and assistance.
“These workers were put in a really tough position. For a company with billions of dollars in profit, that just last month approved massive raises and bonuses for their executives, a fair severance is the least they can do for these workers,” said Rhett Ralph, a labor organizer working with dollar store workers. “They could easily afford four weeks of severance for the huge disruption this abrupt decision had on the lives of these New Orleans workers. Dollar General should pay these workers severance.”
