There's just no stopping Dollar General. The company this morning said it opened 250 stores during the first quarter, despite COVID-19 related challenges, and maintained its commitment to opening 1,000 stores this year. Meanwhile, same store sales surged as initiatives put in place years ago to increase the company's exposure to food and consumables paid huge dividends as demand for those categories surged. The company said its momentum has continued throughout May.

Family Dollar didn't grow as fast as Dollar General during the first quarter, but it managed to open new stores and has restarted a remodeling program which is aiding same store sales. Parent company Dollar Tree said it was its namesake single price point stores that were the uncharacteristic drag on sales during the first quarter.

Retail Industry Must Reads

Tractor Supply Company may have set a new precedent for other retailers by making permanent hourly pay increases and enriching benefits put in place at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak.

After nine years at Amazon, Nancy Winé is joining the two-year-old Kroger Precision Marketing arm of 84.51°. The move comes as suppliers increasingly recognize retailers as media platforms and spend more on targeted promotions with measurable returns.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores named a new chairman who leads a retailer that would never be mistaken for a chain drug store.

CVS Health now offers COVID-19 testing at 1,000 stores and it has set a huge goal beginning in June regarding the number of tests it plans to provide to help re-open America.

U.S. shoppers feel safer shopping in stores, according to the latest installment of COVID-19 research from Deloitte. A shopper survey shows which services will be in demand and new sources of anxiety.

Shoppers may feel safer, but Wegmans Food Markets isn't taking any chances with its upcoming store openings. The retailer's grand openings will be anything but as new operational procedures are implemented.

Lidl opened its 100th store in Atlanta Wednesday morning. Georgia may have begun re-opening in late April, but strict safety measures remained in place at Lidl which made for a very un-grand opening.

Consumers aren't eager to resume work and travel routines despite the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Recent research from NACS sheds light on Americans' driving plans and the implications for retailers.

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For questions about our content, contact Mike Troy at mtroy@ensembleiq.com.