German discount grocery chain Lidl will later this month make its long-awaited debut in metro Atlanta. Lidl (pronounced “LEE-dul”), announced Wednesday that it will open its first three stores in the Atlanta area over the course of few weeks, starting in Powder Springs/Austell (2641 Powder Springs Road SW) on Wednesday January 16. The Powder Springs/Austell opening will be followed by store debuts in Snellville (3821 Stone Mountain Highway) on Wednesday January 30 and Mableton (4844 Floyd Road SW) on Wednesday February 13.
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| The Lidl in Powder Springs/Austell August 2018 |
Readers of ToNeTo Atlanta have noted that the three metro Atlanta stores have sat built, finished and seemingly ready to open for months.
"On grand opening day, doors will open at 8 a.m., immediately following a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and the first 100 customers will be presented with a gift card ranging from $5 to $100 each."
"Shoppers also will be able to sample an array of Lidl’s products and receive a complimentary Lidl reusable bag while supplies last. The festivities will continue throughout the grand opening weekends with games, activities, prizes, special deals and giveaways."
All three of the upcoming Atlanta area stores will be about 36,000 square feet and will be freestanding. Real estate sources indicate the grocer has considered both smaller and non-freestanding stores for future growth.
In 2015, Lidl announced plans to open 50 stores in Georgia by 2018. That plan fell about 49 stores short with the only current store open in the Peach State located in Augusta where it debuted September 2017. Real estate sources indicate the grocer recruited a new, young and inexperienced real estate team and their freshness showed in their inability to get deals done. The grocer was said to be involved in, proposing or had LOIs (letters of intent) out with more than a dozen developers, but pulled the plug on basically everything. There are no other additional Lidl stores known to be definitively confirmed in metro Atlanta at this time.
Lidl is seen as a hybrid between Trader Joe’s and Harris Teeter, and a close competitor to fellow European discount grocer Aldi. Lidl offers food staples at cheaper prices than many traditional supermarkets, such as Kroger and Publix, but also features baked goods, baby items and a curated selection of proprietary clothing such as a limited edition collection from super model Heidi Klum.
Lidl operates about 10,500 stores in 29 countries. In the U.S., the grocer has opened stores in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, having also previously announced plans to enter Texas, among other markets.
The grocer, which established its U.S. headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia, focused on the Southeast to expand its U.S. footprint. Initial goals of opening up to 100 locations across the region by the end of 2018 fell short with about 60 stores open.
The grocer announced plans in June 2017 to invest $100 million in Cartersville in Bartow County to construct a distribution center and regional headquarters that would employ 250 people. This past April, though, Lidl asked Bartow-Cartersville Second Joint Development Authority for "some flexibility in the delivery of their jobs and investment." It's unclear when the development will actually come to fruition.
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