German supermarket chain Lidl has opened its first stores in Virginia and the Carolinas with other locations to follow in Delaware and Maryland.
The company has built distribution centers in Virginia, North Carolina and in western Cecil County, MD, west of the Delaware line. Cost of the Cecil distribution center is estimated at $100 million.
Last month Georgia governor’s office announced the company will build a $100 million distribution center and a regional office in that state.Previous reports have indicated that the company was scouting store sites in Georgia.
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A company spokesman said no opening date has been announced for new stores beyond those previously announced. (See list below).
A building that is expected to be the chain’s first store in Delaware, is going up off Route 301, next to the Grotto Pizza location and near Walmart and Aldi stores.
Approval has been received for a site in Millsboro in Sussex County and bids were sought earlier this year for a location in Elkton, MD. The company has also been active in the Dover area scouted a site south of Newark. [Not a valid template]
Lidl is a rival to German-based Aldi, which has grown to nearly 2,000 stores since its launch in the U.S. in the 1970s.
Aldi operates separately from upscale discounter Trader Joe’s, which has about 450 stores, including a location in north Wilmington. Branches of the German family own the two retailers.
Aldi entered Delaware last year with stores in Camden and Middletown.
Both Aldi and Lidl feature discount prices, lean staffing, small store sizes and many private label products. Lidl will feature fresh-baked goods and a wide variety of cheeses, as well as non-food items that can include fitness gear and outdoor furniture.
The average Lidl has about 20,000 to 35,000 square feet, with private label brands comprising most of the store’s offerings.
Both Aldi and Lidl see a chance to get a bigger foothold in the turbulent U.S. market.
A big target is Walmart, which is now the nation’s largest grocery retailer. Aldi has placed its stores in the region near Walmarts, emphasizing its convenience and discount pricing for produce and other items.
The market has also been shaken by the announced acquisition of Whole Foods by Amazon.
Lidl stores to open this summer:
City, State |
Address |
Kinston, NC |
4050 W Vernon Ave |
Greenville, NC |
1800 East Fire Tower Rd |
Wilson, NC |
3520 Raleigh Rd Parkway West |
Sanford, NC |
3209 NC 87 South |
Rocky Mount, NC |
940 N Wesleyan Blvd |
Winston-Salem, NC |
3315 Sides Branch Rd |
Havelock, NC |
547 US Hwy 70 West |
Rockingham, NC |
705 US 74 Business East |
Wake Forest, NC |
1120 South Main St |
Spartanburg, SC |
8180 Warren H Abernathy Hwy |
Greenville, SC |
2037 Wade Hampton Boulevard |
Virginia Beach, VA |
6196 Providence Rd |
Hampton, VA |
2000 W Mercury Blvd |
Culpeper, VA |
15169 Brandy Road |
Chesapeake, VA |
4033 Portsmouth Blvd |
Norfolk, VA |
6440 N Military Hwy |
Newport News, VA |
11076 Warwick Blvd |
Richmond, VA |
12151 W. Broad St |
North Chesterfield, VA |
1311 Mall Drive |
Richmond, VA |
5110 S Laburnum Ave
|
Lidl operates about 10,000 stores in 27 countries throughout Europe. Lidl first established its U.S. headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia in June 2015.