PANAMA CITY, Fla. — Dollar General Corp. celebrated the opening of a new store here last month, nearly a year after the Gulf Coast beach town was nearly swept away by Hurricane Michael.

The retailer said that the September 28 grand opening took its U.S. store count to 16,000.

“Economic progress in a community comes in many forms, and the opening of Dollar General’s 16,000th store is another positive step forward in the community getting back to normalcy from Hurricane Michael,” said Panama City Mayor Greg ­Brudnicki.

Dollar General presented the store’s first 500 adult customers with $10 gift cards and tote bags containing complimentary ­merchandise.

Festivities also included giveaways and entertainment provided from several of Dollar General Corp.’s vendor partners. The celebration included complimentary breakfast and lunch and samples of Dollar General’s exclusive Clover Valley private brand snacks. In addition, customers were presented with the opportunity to win a free year of shopping from Dollar General, a prize valued at $520.

“From our first store in rural Kentucky to today’s 16,000th store in Panama City, our commitment to serve the communities we call home has never wavered,” said Todd Vasos, Dollar General’s chief executive officer. “From small towns to metropolitan city centers and every community in between, Dollar General is proud to create positive economic impact and local career opportunities as we provide customers with everyday value and convenience. We are grateful we can support the Panama City community, which continues to rebuild from Hurricane Michael’s landfall last year, and demonstrate our mission of Serving Others through donations made to two local elementary schools today.”