OSHA designated Dollar General a severe violator in 2023, having issued more than $21 million in proposed penalties since 2017 — more citations than any other U.S. Retailer. The violations were primarily for blocked emergency exits, unsafe storage conditions, and understaffed stores where single employees were managing freight that required multiple workers. That compliance record is not incidental. It reflects the staffing model that makes Dollar General's unit economics work. With more than 19,000 locations across 48 states, Dollar General operates more U.S. Locations than McDonald's. Each store averages approximately 7,400 square feet — small enough to be profitable in communities with as few as 10,000 residents. The company built its empire in rural and small-town America that Walmart found too small to serve efficiently and that Amazon's logistics network hadn't yet reached with reliable two-day delivery. Founded in 1939 in Scottsville, Kentucky by James Luther Turner and his son Cal Turner Sr. As J.L. Turner and Son, the company launched its Dollar General concept in 1955 with a single pricing rule: every item costs a dollar or less. That constraint forced merchandise discipline — only products that could be sourced, packaged, and sold at a dollar or less while leaving a profit margin could earn shelf space. The model created a distinctive product mix of consumables, household basics, and seasonal items. CEO Todd Vasos returned to lead the company in 2023 after his predecessor struggled with execution. Revenue reached $38.7 billion in 2024, with net income of $1.66 billion, against a market cap of $17.5 billion. The discount reflects investor concern about store execution, margin compression from shrink and labor costs, and the OSHA liability that hangs over the operating model.