GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General Corp. plans to open its first stores in California in 2012 following expansions in recent years in such other western states as Arizona and ­Colorado.

Dollar General Corp. plans to open its first stores in California in 2012 following expansions in recent years in such other western states as Arizona and ­Colorado.

"Our California stores will mark a significant milestone for Dollar General, giving us a coast-to-coast presence for the first time," remarks chairman and chief executive officer Rick Dreiling. "Our team is excited about carrying our mission westward and delivering value and convenience, our hallmarks for over 70 years, to new customers."

Dollar General has grown beyond its southern roots, sometimes opening two or three stores a day. It nearly doubled its store base in the last decade from 5,000 in 2000 to more than 9,500 today.

The California announcement comes on the heels of the company’s planned expansions into three new states this year — Connecticut, Nevada and New ­Hampshire.

California will be Dollar General’s 39th state.

Separately, Dollar General has broken ground on its 10th distribution center. Based in Bessemer, Ala., the $100 million facility is expected to eventually employ 650 people.

"Dollar General marks the beginning of a new distribution center and celebrates our commitment to the Bessemer community," Dreiling said at the groundbreaking ceremony hosted by Birmingham Business Alliance. "We are excited to begin construction on this state-of-the-art facility, which will support more than 1,000 stores and will bring hundreds of jobs to the area."

The Bessemer facility joins Dollar General’s network of nine distribution centers, which are located in Kentucky, Oklahoma, Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri, Florida, Ohio, South Carolina and Indiana.

Dollar General currently operates 511 stores in Alabama, including 32 in Jefferson County.