SHENANDOAH, Pa. — Smoke billowed out of the Dollar General along Route 924 in Shenandoah last April.
More than 100 firefighters from several departments around Schuylkill County responded to fight the flames.
Longtime customer Susan Zimmerman from Mahanoy City was driving by the Gold Star Plaza when the fire happened.
"We saw the fire when it originally started; we were coming from the kielbasa shops over at Shenandoah, Koalonek's, and, well, we weren't allowed up the road because of the fire company and everything, but it was really, really bad," Zimmerman recalled.
State police estimated that the fire caused $1 million in damage. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Less than ten months later, the Dollar General had its grand opening on Monday.
It's exciting news for customers like Dale Teter who missed shopping at the store.
"We missed it when it was burned down because we do like to come here, like I said, when we come to Redner's. We like to hit the both stores," Teter said.
Heather Donati has been shopping at the Dollar General for the past ten years. Being from Frackville, she says shopping choices were limited when the store was under construction.
"I was surprised. I didn't think they would come back to the same location. We heard rumors that they were going to try to get into Frackville or another town, but it's a good location for them, and it's convenient for everybody," said Donati.