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Written by Bryan Hunt - Breese Journal Editor

This is what Carlyle's planned Family Dollar/Dollar Tree store could look like when completed.    A 10,000-square-foot Family Dollar/Dollar Tree store will be built at the location of the former Schuette's Market in Carlyle.
    That new development will be erected in the property's north lot, but there are no details as to what will be built in the south lot.
    Carlyle Mayor Judy Smith confirmed the development on June 11.
    The development is at the corner of State Route 127 and Franklin Street. 
    The project's developer is Ridge Properties I LLC. The store is scheduled to open March 2022 and employ six to 10 people.
    Smith said no time frame on construction has been given, but she hopes "they can probably get it going within six months now."
    She also said there was no word given on what staffing would take place at the new store, "but there will be some new jobs created."
    The construction will be one store but a combination of both their offerings.
    "They'll combine all of their normal stock into one," Smith said.
    There will be another 10,000-square-foot store that constructed on the property's  south side, but Smith said city officials "have no idea what's going in that yet."
    She said the developer, at one time, hoped to get a restaurant for the space, "but that's never been acknowledged any further."
    Smith said both parties want to get the first store up and going and then they will start on the second store.
    Smith said Ridgeway Developers does development business across the United States, and this is one client they've had at other locations, "that has done well," so they were signed on for this location.
    Smith said Dollar Tree officials have found that the hybrid store seems to do "much better than just the Family Dollar, or just the Dollar Tree standing by itself." 
    At the city of Carlyle's April 22 Zoning Board meeting, Ridge Properties, through Tim Barnes, had requested approval of a final plat creating a two-lot minor subdivision, "Ridge View Subdivision."
    The minor subdivision split the property into a northern and southern lot. 
    Resident John Barrett asked if the property was going to be used for residential purposes. Barnes said that it would not, the only planned developments are commercial.  
    Approval for the final plat was given and taken before Carlyle's City Council, which approved it, 7-0, at their April 26 meeting, 
    The vote was just to subdivide the large lot into two smaller lots. 
    The property at one time was home to a thrift store, an office of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and the Verizon Wireless store.
    Speculation was rampant for weeks, on social media and word of mouth, about what would be built on the property.
    A box of building materials for the project had been delivered to the job site, with a label affixed which had the Family Dollar name and "Viburnum, Mo." on the side and crossed out, with "Carlyle, IL" above it.
    Despite the obvious sign, Smith and city officials were not at liberty to say what development was coming to the property.
    Dollar Tree, Inc. announced in July 2015 its acquisition of Family Dollar Stores, Inc.
    "We are pleased to announce we have completed our acquisition of Family Dollar and we formally welcome the Family Dollar team to the Dollar Tree organization," said CEO Bob Sasser, in a statement issued then.
    "This is a transformational opportunity for our business to offer broader, more compelling merchandise assortments, with greater values, to a wider array of customers. This acquisition will extend our reach to low-income customers, while strengthening and diversifying our footprint."