Miyoshi Price
•7/9/2026
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Customers who shop at a Dollar General in Fort Myers say months without adequate air conditioning made shopping uncomfortable and left them worried about employees working through the Florida heat.
The concerns center around the Dollar General located at 3409 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., where several customers told WINK News the store has felt unusually hot for months.
One of those customers, Derricka Truttling, said she became concerned not only for shoppers but for the people working inside the store every day.
"My biggest concern is the workers. You could just see the sweat coming off them," Truttling said.
She recalled watching an elderly customer enter the store after riding his bicycle, expecting to cool down.
"You would think he would get relief in the store, but instead he's just sitting there drenching," she said.
Truttling said she contacted Dollar General's corporate office herself before reaching out to WINK News.
"They told me they'll call me back in a few days. I've never got a call back. I never got an email," she said.
After WINK News contacted Dollar General, the company provided the following statement:
"Our store located at 3409 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard in Fort Myers, Florida is currently operating at normal hours, and HVAC maintenance issues have been addressed.
While we awaited delivery of specific parts needed for repairs, we installed several fans and operated under limited hours, amid other measures, to help ensure a comfortable working environment for our employees and pleasant shopping experience for customers. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our customers.
Dollar General has food and product safety policies in place, which include removing and discarding damaged products, including food, medicines or perishable items."
After reading the company's response, Truttling said she still believes the situation should have been resolved sooner.
"This is Florida. It doesn't take months to do that. They have a lot of resources. To me, that's just an excuse," she said.
She also encouraged others to speak up when they see problems affecting their community.
"If you see something, say something. Don't just let it slide. It's not right."
Longtime customer Raymond Johnson shared similar concerns, saying the heat inside the store has made him question shopping there.
"It's been too hot," Johnson said.
He also worries about food sold inside the store.
"All that food down there being hot is gonna make somebody sick," he said.
Not every customer shared the same level of concern.
Jacqueline Battles Upshaw, who has shopped at the store for years, said she plans to continue shopping there despite the issue.
"It's nothing that can't be repaired. It's not going to stop me from coming to Dollar General because this is a skip and a hop from my house," she said.
While customers had differing opinions about the store, many agreed they hope conditions continue to improve for both shoppers and employees.
