Discount Store

“Dollar General’s first quarter performance marks a great start to the year. Our first quarter sales were ahead of our expectations. Our same-store sales growth of 6.7% for the quarter was on top of 13.3% growth in the first quarter of 2009,” said Rick Dreiling, chairman and chief executive officer.

MEMPHIS , Tenn. (Jun. 3) Discounter Fred's noted a 5% rise in its fiscal sales for the month, which ended May 29.

The chain said sales totaled $141.5 million, up from $134.9 million in May 2009. Comparable-store sales for the month rose 3.5%, compared with an increase of 0.2% in the same period last year.

Fred's total sales for the first four months of fiscal 2010 increased 3% to $613.1 million. On a comparable-store basis, year-to-date sales increased 3.5% on top of an increase of 2.1% in the same period last year.

CAMP HILL , Pa. (Jun. 3) Rite Aid reported a decline in its same-store monthly sales.

The Camp Hill, Pa.-based drug store chain said its May same-store sales dropped 1.7%, compared with May 2009. Conversely, May front-end same-stores sales decreased 3.6% while pharmacy same store sales, which included an approximate 124 basis points negative impact from new generic introductions, declined 0.8%.

Rite Aid also reported a loss for its drug store sales, decreasing 2.7% to about $2.44 billion, compared with $2.51 billion in the same period last year.

Minneapolis (Jun. 3) Supervalu has named J. Andrew Herring as its new EVP market and real estate development.

Herring most recently served as SVP real estate and store development. In his new role, he will be responsible for driving Supervalu’s major growth initiatives, including store development for the company’s traditional retail and Save-A-Lot stores and for its independent retailers, as well as new store growth.