Business

New Aldi to open in November

ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- A new Aldi grocery store is under construction in St. Clairsville to replace the current Aldi store that is located just 1.2 miles away.

The new Aldi store is slated to open in November and will be located behind CVS pharmacy and Sheetz convenience store off of National Road, just north of the Ohio Valley Plaza.

Founded by the Albrecht family in Germany in 1961, Aldi claims to be the "first discounter in the world," according to its website. Aldi U.S. has had a presence in the United States since 1976, when it opened its first store in Iowa. The company now has nearly 1,600 stores in 34 states and employs more than 24,000 people.

J.R. Perry, Aldi Saxonburg Division vice president, said current St. Clairsville employees will have the option to work at the new location.

"Aldi takes a streamlined approach to staffing, with a typical store employing about 15 people and with three to five employees working at the same time. As an employer of choice, Aldi has a strong track record of paying our employees market-leading wages and offering them benefits well above minimum wage requirements," said Perry.

Perry said sales are up at Aldi locations across the country, and he wants the public to know that shoppers "don't need a membership card or coupons to get great prices that are up to 50 percent less," based on a price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores.

"Our low prices get people in the door, but it's our great quality that keeps them coming back," he said.

According to Perry, the company is confident about the decision to build a new store in St. Clairsville.

"We look at a lot of factors before choosing an Aldi location, like population density, proximity to competition, cost of the property and traffic patterns. We want to be conveniently located for our shoppers. We're confident our new St. Clairsville store will help us better serve the surrounding community, and we can't wait to open the new location in November," Perry stated. "Our new stores are modern and easy to navigate, with more room for customers' favorite products, inviting colors, high ceilings and natural lighting. Today's Aldi stores are also built with environmentally friendly materials such as energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting."

Perry added that Aldi has been focusing on making it easier for shoppers to make healthy choices, with the stores featuring "Dietitian's Picks," which are healthy products hand-picked by nutrition experts. Aldi also features organic produce, USDA Choice beef, a gluten-free product line and a line of natural products "free from over 125 artificial ingredients and preservatives."

"All Aldi exclusive brand food products are free of added MSG, certified synthetic colors and partially hydrogenated oils," Perry noted.