Look out, Aldi… You’re about to get some competition from another German hard-discount grocery store!
Read more: 10 surprises you probably didn’t know about Aldi
Lidl ready to enter the U.S. market
After years of Aldi dominating the low-cost grocery market in the United States, archrival Lidl is finally set to make its way to American soil.
BusinessInsider describes Lidl as a cross between Trader Joe’s and Kroger.
The German grocer, which operates 10,000 stores in 26 European countries, is known for its low prices and emphasis on store brands, while also stocking a healthy smattering of popular name brands.
“I’ve shopped in Lidl in a number of places across Europe and they are exceptional,” money expert Clark Howard says. “When you walk into a Lidl… they look really upscale, but they are ruthless in cost control and, in turn, provide you with extraordinary prices.”
Lidl will open 10 stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia on June 15 and four more on July 13.
Following that, 80 more U.S. stores are on tap over the next 12 months.
Here are the stores that shoppers will get a crack at in June.
We’ll update this list regularly as more store announcements are rolled out!
First wave of stores that opened June 15
North Carolina
- Greenville, NC – 1800 East Fire Tower Rd.
- Kinston, NC – 4050 W. Vernon Ave.
- Rocky Mount, NC – 940 N. Wesleyan Blvd.
- Sanford, NC – 3209 NC 87 South
- Wilson, NC ‘ 3520 Raleigh Rd. Parkway West
- Winston-Salem, NC – 3315 Sides Branch Rd.
South Carolina
- Greenville, SC – 2037 Wade Hampton Blvd.
- Spartanburg, S.C. – 8180 Warren H. Abernathy Hwy.
Virginia
- Hampton, VA – 2000 W. Mercury Blvd.
- Virginia Beach, VA – 6196 Providence Rd.
Second wave of stores to open July 13
- Chesapeake, VA – 4033 Portsmouth Blvd.
- Culpeper, VA – 15169 Brandy Rd.
- Havelock, NC – 547 US Hwy. 70 West
- Wake Forest, NC – 1120 South Main St.
The first 100 customers to arrive at each location will receive a wooden coin that enters them to win up to $100 in Lidl gift cards. Early shoppers will also receive a free Lidl reusable bag while supplies last.
Listen: Clark discusses Lidl on the Clark Howard Show Podcast
Where else will Lidl be?
The company is building its U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Va., but has eyes for expansion along the Eastern seaboard from Georgia to New Jersey.
Back in 2016, BusinessInsider reported that Lidl was considering the following locations in five other states:
Delaware
- Dover
- Middletown
Georgia
- Augusta
- Newnan
- Pooler
- Sandy Springs
- Woodstock
Maryland
- Aberdeen
- Bowie
- Eldersburg
- Annapolis
New Jersey
- Burlington Township
- Vineland
Pennsylvania
- Dover Township
- Erie
- Pottstown
- Royersford
- Spring Garden Township
- Springettsbury Township
- Stroudsburg
- Uniontown/South Union
- Whitehall Township
- Wilkins
- Wilson
The average U.S. Lidl is expected to be between 30,000 and 36,000 square feet. The typical Aldi, meanwhile, has about 10,000 square feet of sales floor space. Compare that with the average traditional supermarket that can be up to 45,000 square feet!
Sounds like Lidl might be the Goldilocks of the grocery industry — not too big and not too small… just right!
Read more: Sure, Aldi saves you money — but here are 5 other benefits of shopping there!
