SAN ANTONIO — Dollar General Corp. celebrated the grand opening of its newest distribution center here June 4 with a ceremony attended by nearly 1,000 people, including company employees and their family members and local government officials. The center, the 13^th in the retailer’s network, is creating more than 500 jobs in the community, Dollar General said in a statement.

“Dollar General is excited to celebrate the grand opening of our San Antonio distribution center,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer. “We have quickly built a great team in San Antonio. This new facility strengthens our distribution network and helps our stores better serve our customers. We look forward to a long-standing partnership with the community as we continue to focus on our mission of serving others.”

Dollar General’s 12 other distribution centers are located in Alachua, Fla.; Ardmore, Okla.; Bessemer, Ala.; Bethel, Pa.; Fulton, Mo.; Indianola, Miss.; Jonesville, S.C.; Lebec, Calif.; Marion, Ind.; Scottsville, Ky.; South Boston, Va.; and Zanesville, Ohio. The company has begun construction on its 14th distribution center, in Janesville, Wis., and is planning for its 15^th distribution center, in Jackson, Ga.

Construction on the recently opened center began in late 2014. The 930,000-square-foot facility began receiving in December 2015 and started shipping products in February 2016. It serves more than 800 stores in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico. With more than 1,300 stores in Texas, Dollar General employs more than 11,250 people in the Lone Star state.

“It’s gratifying to see that what began as an initial site location analysis in October 2013 has evolved into Dollar General’s newest regional distribution hub,” said Tom Long, executive vice president of the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation. An analysis by the Institute for Economic Development at the University of Texas, San Antonio, suggested that the economic impact of Dollar General’s investment would surpass $750 million over the next decade, Long said.”

As part of the grand opening, Dollar General made a $10,000 donation to the Carver Branch Public Library to support its literacy and educational outreach efforts.

Dollar General has 12,721 stores in 43 states helping shoppers save time and money every day by offering products such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, basic apparel, housewares, and seasonal items. Shares in the Goodlettsville, Tenn.-based retailer began the week up nearly 27% year to date.