New London - When the manager of the new Dollar General outlet at Broad and Colman streets tells people the discount retailer has 11,000 stores, they tend to doubt him.

"They say, 'You mean 11-hundred?' " Alan LeMay said, betraying a hint of exasperation. "No, 11-thousand, I tell them. That's what I said."

Based in Goodlettsville, Tenn., Dollar General operates in 40 states and claims it has more locations than any retailer in America, including 11 in Connecticut. Only recently, however, has it moved into eastern Connecticut, opening a store months ago in Dayville. The New London store debuted on Halloween night, and another, in Uncasville, is expected to open early next year on Route 32.

In terms of the merchandise they sell, Dollar General stores are similar to Wal-Mart stores, only far smaller. They offer food, housewares, seasonal items, cleaning supplies, basic apparel and health and beauty products.

"Everything's not a dollar," LeMay noted. But prices are low.

On Monday, a two-liter bottle of Coca-Cola was $1.45, a gallon of whole milk $3.60. Twenty caplets of Aleve, the pain-reliever, were $4.

Items like electronic toys can go for as much as $50, LeMay said.

"If you want to point something out, it's that we have name brands, which a lot of discount stores don't," he said. "We have Tide detergent and Listerine mouthwash."

Though it's set back from Colman Street, which it faces, the store's address is 436-A Broad St. It has 10 employees.

The store will celebrate its opening at 8 a.m. Saturday with free prizes and special deals. The first 50 adult shoppers will receive a $10 gift card and the first 200 shoppers will receive a Dollar General tote bag among other items.

"Dollar General is committed to delivering a pleasant shopping experience that includes a convenient location, a wide assortment of merchandise and great prices on quality products," Dan Nieser, Dollar General's senior vice president of real estate and store development, said in a statement.

A supporter of literacy and education in the communities where it operates, Dollar General has awarded more than $85 million in grants to nonprofit organizations since its inception in 1993.

b.hallenbeck@theday.com