Shoppers stretched across the ALDI parking lot Friday morning as the grocer reopened its Bechtle Avenue store following an $850,000 expansion and renovation.
The store, at 2091 N. Bechtle Ave., was closed for about five weeks during a remodeling effort that included a 2,500 foot expansion as well as renovations throughout the store.
Betsy Baneck, of Springfield, thought she’d arrive early with a friend for a celebration that included gift cards for the first 100 shoppers, as well as food samples and a chance to enter a sweepstakes for a year’s supply of produce.
“We didn’t think there would be that many people but there were 80 people ahead of us,” Baneck said.
The upgrades added more space, modernized the store’s interior and will allow the store to add items like more organic and all-natural products, said Sarah Brown, Springfield division president for ALDI.
“With a bigger store, we are able to fit more products on our shelves that our customers are asking for,” Brown said.
The overhauled store offers more than 11,400 square feet of shopping space and energy-saving upgrades, such as more efficient refrigerators and LED lighting. The remodeled ALDI store will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
The chain has nine stores in the Dayton area, Brown said.
“When I look around and see the line of people stretched across the parking lot I would say this is a special grand opening,” Brown said.
The chain is growing and plans to add about 130 new stores each year, according to information from the company. The upgrades at ALDI are part of $2.9 million being spent on new retail stores on Bechtel Avenue.