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Aldi Supermarkets Bring Discounts, But Few Frills, To Area

Tribune file photo by CLIFF McBRIDE

Of its products, 90 percent are private-label brands owned by Aldi.

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By MICHAEL SASSO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 25, 2008

BRANDON - Planning a grocery trip to one of Aldi's new area stores? Better bring your quarters.

Aldi, a new deep-discount supermarket in the Tampa Bay area that requires a refundable quarter fee to use its carts, opened its Brandon store to a huge crowd this morning. The store, at 820 E. Brandon Blvd., opened at 9 a.m., and the line of customers at its six registers was five deep within 45 minutes.

The store's quirks seemed to confound some customers. Store managers had to go around handing out quarters to shoppers who didn't know to bring change or forgot. The quarter is returned to the customer when the cart is returned.

The company also is opening four other Bay area stores today: 13514 University Plaza, Tampa; 4745 U.S. 98 N., Lakeland; 24756 U.S. 19 N., Clearwater; and 6700 66th St., Pinellas Park.

Aldi advertises that it has prices that beat even Wal-Mart's, although shoppers won't get all the bells and whistles of a Publix or Sweetbay. Groceries are stacked up in their boxes, and shoppers must bag their groceries.

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