Dollar General, not O’Reilly, to be first new tenant at Benny’s

Feb 25, 2019

O’Reilly Auto Parts is out and Dollar General is in at the former Benny’s location at 696 Dartmouth Street. At the Feb. 25 Planning Board meeting, officials from the Carpionato Group, the developer for the property, communicated plans to upgrade the interior of the store to get it ready for Dollar General.

Because that interior work has a value less than 50% of the value of the property, the planning board doesn’t need to approve it. At the same time, the developers will also make some sewer repairs and a loading dock in back.

The developer’s attorney Robert Kraus said that Dollar General wants the majority of the work to be done by the end of March-- a very fast turnaround.

The developers are also eager to start work so that the plaza can start to bring in money and appeal to other tenants.

Although O’Reilly Auto Parts backed out, the developers are still planning to build another building on site. Plans to build an addition on the Benny’s building are still in the works. The Papa Gino’s building will also need a new tenant.

Planning Board chair John Sousa reminded the developers of Dartmouth’s requirements for buildings in town which must fit stylistically with the rest of the town. Box stores, especially, have to change their designs which are often identical across towns and states.

The developers will bring a master plan to the Board’s next meeting on March 11.