Aldi Foods to Come to New Lenox
The discount grocery store could be open before Thanksgiving this year.
If all goes as planned, Aldi Foods could give New Lenox another grocery option just in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
The Village Board approved site plans Monday for the store, which would fill 17,886 square feet in the northwest corner of the New Lenox Town Center, where Walmart anchors the developing area. Aldi originally had plans to move into the same spot but pulled out in 2008 because of economic concerns.
Right now, the nearest Aldi to New Lenox is one located on La Grange Road in Frankfort. There's also an Aldi in Lockport, Joliet, Homer Glen and Orland Hills. Those are all open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.
In a previous article, Mayor Tim Baldermann said the opening of Walmart in October and now Aldi coming here gives residents more options.
"We’re excited to have them," he said. "The nice thing is we’ve got a lot of grocery choices for people here. It wasn’t like that for years; we just had the one Jewel."
Now there are two Jewel Osco stores in New Lenox, as well as a Berkot's Super Foods and grocery options at Walmart and Target. Aldi claims on its website to offer lower price than competitors, in part because it carries only about 1,400 of the most-used grocery and household items.
Aldi will join Walmart in the New Lenox Town Center, as well as fast food joints Culver’s and White Castle. Auto Zone is on the far east end of the developement, and Physicians Immediate Care opened today. Plans have been submitted for a Goodwill store and Chase Bank and Discount Tire are both under permit review. Menard’s has also committed to eventually building in the lot to the east of Walmart.
Engineer Mark Foster with Aldi said he hopes to break ground as soon as possible and be open in time for Thanksgiving.
lorisstylinghairstuff
6:17 am on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I think this is a good thing. We need an Aldi in our town for great low prices on some grocery items. No I can not get all my grocery items at Aldi. But it does help to save $ on the ones I can.
Janice Byrne
7:04 am on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I echo lorisstylinghairstuff's comment above. BUT, I want the New Lenox Aldi to have an exteror as nice as Frankfort's. The NL Walmart's facade is dreary imho. Let's not have a repeat.
Chicagoan
12:34 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I wish the village would require all grocery stores to have at least 1 handicap electric cart. Aldi's does not have these carts.
N Yan
12:48 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I would prefer to see a Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods quite frankly and do without an Aldi.
AV
2:04 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I completely agree! Between Wal-Mart, Target, Jewel & Berkots I feel we need a more diverse store. There are plenty of deals to be had at those other stores so a Trader Joe's or other "healthy/organic" type of store would have been a better choice :)
Grace
12:41 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
I agree with Nic Yan. We need a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods in our community. I wrote to both of them a couple years ago to tell them they would have a great opportunty in New Lenox. I guess it didn't do much good.
But I am also happy about Aldi's. Each grocery store has diffeent features.