Aldi to open new store in King of Prussia

Source, The Reporter, Donna Rovins

Aldi has announced it will open its first store in King Of Prussia later this month, in the King of Prussia Center on DeKalb Pike. The new store is part of an ongoing $3.4 billion investment to expand the supermarket chain to 2,500 stores nationwide by the end of 2022.

Work is already underway on the 19,230 square foot space in the shopping center, and the company plans a May 23 opening.

“ALDI stores are designed to make life easier for people. We offer high-quality foods at affordable prices and a streamlined shopping experience unlike anything else,” Bob Grammer, Center Valley division vice president for Aldi, said in a press release. “From our award-winning products, to trendy, fresh and healthy options, we’re focused on carrying a selection that has something for everyone.”

The new Aldi will fill a space that has been vacant since early 2015 when Bottom Dollar Foods closed all of its stores. When the Bottom Dollar chain announced its closure in 2014, it said Aldi would acquire the company’s real estate.

Aldi has had possession of the site since Bottom Dollar closed the store, according to Nelson Wax, an associate with commercial real estate and investment firm CBRE Group Inc., but “chose not to open in the location at the time.”

CBRE represented the property’s landlord — D&P Associates — in negotiations with Aldi for an amended lease.

In an interview Monday, Wax said that the amended lease added about 2,000 square feet of space from an adjacent store — a Petco that closed in 2018 — to the existing square footage, bringing the total to 19,230.

The new King of Prussia Aldi store layout will provide an improved in-store experience and features additional refrigeration space. Compared to last year, 20 percent of the ALDI product selection is new, according to the company.

The product expansion is the next phase of the company’s national growth and remodel plan. As part of the product expansion, Aldi is “increasing its fresh food selection by 40 percent with many organic, convenient and easy-to-prepare options,” the release stated.

Wax, and CBRE Associate Jeffrey Cohen negotiated the lease on behalf of D&P Associates — the family-owned business that built King of Prussia Center.

“The owner is very excited to reintroduce a discount grocery offering to the community. We also see it as a great opportunity for Aldi to attract some of the displaced customers from the nearby Acme, which recently closed,” Wax said.

The King of Prussia Aldi is scheduled to open on Thursday, May 23 — starting with a ribbon cutting at 8:45 a.m., followed by grand opening activities including gift cards for the first 100 customers, as well as sampling of Aldi-exclusive brand foods and a chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a year’s supply of Aldi produce. The King of Prussia store, 197 E. DeKalb Pike, will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Aldi currently operates more than 1,800 stores in 35 states, serving more than 40 million customers each month.