Monday, September 21, 2009

Discount supermarket coming to mystery location

From Crain's:

Aldi, a discount supermarket chain headquartered in Batavia, Ill., is building its first store in the city in Queens. The chain, a sister unit of popular discounter Trader Joe's, has begun hiring managers for the outpost, which is expected to open early next year.

With more than 1,000 stores in the U.S., Aldi's debut here will ramp up grocery competition.

“They shake up a market,” said supermarket consultant Burt Flickinger. “And they don't come in with just one store. They'll open five, then 10 and 15.”

A spokeswoman for Aldi, whose owners Theo and Karl Albrecht also own Trader Joe's, declined to say where in Queens the store is being built.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aldis is supposed to be a fabulous store too.

Sunnysider said...

It can be a great store - if the neighborhood is trashy then the store will be too (that's how it was in Chicago when I lived there anyway). Private-label frozen food and cereal, like Trader Joe's but a step down in quality and flare. In Queens it should be packed, and frankly, they probably won't be able to keep up. That's a store that needs to open 5-10 locations in Queens to stay stocked. If I recall, you have to pay for the shopping bags and put a coin deposit for a shopping cart. I am excited to visit one in NYC, but I am pretty sure the borough will ruin it for me, like it did for Target.

Anonymous said...

we went to one in Oneonta-- kind of downscale-- but good prices... some good import items...

Scott S said...

This is welcome news in part because the number of good supermarkets in Queens and NYC is abysmal. Aldi is known for selling a very limited selection of only private label goods at cut-rate prices, although the quality of those products is generally very good. In terms of location, that remains a mystery, but there is no shortage of locations (including the new Rego Park shopping center that will be home to Century 21).

rugbyXVplayer said...

it's been a well known fact that they are going to where Waldbaum's is in Douglaston, by the Macys and Toys R Us.

Anonymous said...

Aldi's is the Walmart of Europe.


Don't we have enough 'Eurotrash' in Queens already. They don't sell name brands and sell only their own stuff. They sell from pallets on the floor, and this is the best part. The charge you for the grocery bags, so you better bring your own. Aldi's has ruined grocery shopping upstate and just like a Walmart their coming for your community next.

Anonymous said...

Fairway is coming to the Waldbaum's location in Douglaston ... thank goodness!

When are we getting Whole Foods????

FlooshingRezident said...

Aldi's is a junk store catering to the Mexicans in Chicago. It will probably open in an area like Corona. Douglaston is supposed to get a Fairway. Let's hope so!