Hundreds braved the 31-degree predawn weather in Enterprise Thursday morning to get a place in line for the grand opening of the city’s first ALDI store, located in the Enterprise Shopping Center.
The first 100 customers in line to enter the city’s newest grocery store received ALDI giveaways and a golden ticket that could be worth up to $100. Shoppers could also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a $500 ALDI gift card during the grand opening weekend through Nov. 5.
Dressed in an ALDI sweatshirt and an ALDI knit hat, Katie Mayfield said she arrived at 5:45 to secure the first place in a line that ultimately was the length of the shopping center as people waited for the 9 a.m. ribbon cutting. Yes, she was freezing, she said. “But it was worth it.”
“We’re so excited to finally have our store open in Enterprise because we’ve had so many customers for so long asking us when we are going to open here,” said Heather Moore, Loxley Divisional Vice President as she did a final walk through of the store Tuesday morning. “We are just so happy to finally have this open.”
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“This is the dream grocery store,” Moore said, who has worked with ALDI nearly three decades. “We work hard to be an employer of choice. It’s a great place to work and a great place to shop.”
More than 1,000 new ALDI stores have opened throughout the nation in the past decade, and customers nationwide have become loyal fans of the company’s fast and affordable shopping experience, she said. There are some 2,400 ALDI stores in the nation and the corporate office is in Chicago, Ill.
The opening of a 700,000 square foot ALDI Distribution Center in Loxley nearly two years ago has been a game changer for the grocery store that opened its first American store in Iowa in 1976. “That is how we were able to open an Enterprise ALDI,” she said.
“The price is what gets customers in the door, but the quality is what’s going to bring them back,” Moore said. “We’re going to save you a ton of money when you come here to shop. We get fresh produce every single day, so you know you are getting the freshest products.
“That’s the other part of the equation for us, our quality is really good,” Moore added. “You don’t have to give up something to get quality.
“Our disciplined approach to operating with simplicity and efficiency gives our customers great products at the lowest possible prices,” Moore said. “In addition to helping protect the planet, ALDI helps customers save time and money through convenient shopping options via in-store, curbside pickup or delivery at shop.aldi.us
One of the things that makes us unique is our shopping cart system,” Moore said. “Depositing a quarter to unlock a shopping cart is one way ALDI saves shoppers money because ALDI doesn’t need to hire employees to corral loose carts—and customers get their quarter back when they return the cart.
“ALDI also asks shoppers to bring reusable bags and has never offered single-use plastic bags — a sustainable policy that leads to savings passed on to customers. We do a lot of those little unique things that help us keep our prices low.”
“Our stores are designed to make grocery shopping smarter, faster and easier, and we’ve been voted the price leader for six years running,” said Moore. “We’re excited to open our first ALDI store in Enterprise and introduce local customers to a new, more affordable way of shopping.”