ALDI Comes to Queens

The first ALDI store in the New York City metropolitan area opens Feb. 18 in Rego Park Center at 61-11 Junction Boulevard in Rego Park, N.Y., in the borough of Queens. “ALDI will continue to offer its same incredibly low prices every single day," noted Bruce Persohn, South Windsor divisional VP for the limited-assortment grocer, whose U.S. operations are in Batavia, Ill.

As well as offering more than 1,400 of the most frequently purchased items under ALDI select brands at prices up to 45 percent less than those of traditional grocers in the area, the company is bringing its standard store floorplan to the Queens location, including 8-foot-wide aisles much wider than those found in an average New York City grocery store. The Rego Park Center store’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

The ultra-efficient ALDI format eliminates overhead costs through such practices as merchandising its products in open-carton displays and encouraging customers to bring their own shopping bags.

The Queens location is the first of three grocery stores ALDI plans to open in the New York metro region. Other stores are slated for the Bronx and Bay Shore, the latter a town on the South Shore of Long Island.

"Our growth is a testament to our popularity with consumers and the loyalty of our longtime customers," said Persohn.

Based in Germany, ALDI operates more than 1,100 U.S. stores in 31 states, primarily from Kansas to the East Coast. In the spring of 2010, the company opened a new division in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.