Matthews-based Family Dollar plans to continue aggressive growth in the current fiscal year, CEO Howard Levine told investors at the company's annual shareholder meeting Thursday.

Family Dollar plans to open 450 to 500 new stores this year. The retailer currently operates about 7,100 stores. Levine said the company plans to open its 11th distribution center this year, to serve its stores in California as it ramps up new locations there.

Levine said the company will continue its store renovation program, making over another 1,000 stores, and keep pushing to increase the amount of private brand goods and goods bought directly from Asian factories in its stores.

The company also increased its quarterly dividend to 21 cents a share, up from 18 cents.

Customers remain stressed by economic fallout from the recession, Levine said. "Times are tough, and our customers are buying what they need, not what they want," he said.

A handful of shareholders attended the meeting and asked Levine questions directly.

Family Dollar is the nation's second-largest "dollar store" chain, behind Dollar General.

"What's the personality of the company likely to be in five to 10 years, given all the changes?" asked one woman. Levine said the retailer is taking steps to ensure it appeals to both "core customers" and new "trade-down customers."

Shareholders also asked Levine about energy efficiency in stores and whether communities were resisting new Family Dollar stores being built. Levine told them that a new LEED-certified store built in South Carolina would help future stores be more energy efficient, and that opposition to new Family Dollar stores was rare.