Family Dollar Abandons Effort in Rock Hall

Family Dollar Stores has abandoned its effort to open a store in Rock Hall — citing road blocks in the permit process — and the developer, Ralph Larson, wants a refund of nearly $14,000 in permit fees, said Town Manager Ron Fithian at Thursday’s town meeting.

Fithian said the matter of a refund would be taken up at the next Utilities Commission meeting on April 28.

The town’s attorney, Charles “Chip” MacLeod, said he would check to see if there were provisions for a refund. He said any request for a refund should come from the developer in writing.

The decision by Family Dollar to abandon Rock Hall comes after the chain reported a six percent decline in sales and a plan to close 370 stores.

The news comes as great relief to Jeff Carroll, owner or Bayside Foods, who is still waging a court battle against a Dollar General that moved in across street from his full service grocery store last November–and began selling milk at below cost.

Carroll said the arrival of Dollar General has forced him to reduce his staff from 34 to 25 employees in just six months because of being undercut on many items he sells. Unlike Dollar General, Bayside Foods offers a living wage, retirement and health insurance–and is one of the largest employers in Rock Hall.

Carroll said he knew even one dollar store would hurt his business but he’s glad that he now doesn’t have to fight two.

“Instead of fighting two 500-hundred-pound gorillas, I’m fighting one 400-pound gorilla,” Carroll said on Friday.

The Dollar General’s existence in Rock Hall is being challenged in the Maryland Court of Special Appeals on the argument that the Rock Hall Planning Commission did not consider the economic impact on local businesses under the town’s comprehensive plan when it approved the store, according to Anne Ogletree, the attorney for Bayside Foods.

“Bayside Foods has a right to be heard on this issue because it is a protected entity under Rock Hall’s comprehensive plan,” Ogletree said in a phone call with the Spy on Friday.

Ogletree is also challenging the Planning Commission’s vote in February of 2013 to approve the store because a majority of commission members did not cast a vote.

“There were four appointed members at that time and only two voted,” she said.

The appeal will be heard in November or December, Ogletree said.

Family Dollar Abandons Effort in Rock Hall

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