Take a look inside new Belleville Aldi grocery store that opened to a huge crowd
The new Aldi grocery store in Belleville is open, and it has a lot to offer customers.
Store manager Megan Decarlo said she and her staff were excited to finally open the doors.
As someone who hasn’t really been to an Aldi store more than a few times, I have to admit that I was curious and wanted to check it out.
I tend to shop the perimeter at grocery stores, so this is where I paid more attention.
Upon entering, folks are greeted with fresh produce, which includes so many gorgeous pineapples.
“Aldi has good quality products, good customer service … that’s our goal,” said Decarlo.
Bunches of bananas and bags of apples and oranges were front and center.
The first aisle displayed take-and-bake pizzas, lasagnas and egg rolls. There were strawberries, grapes and other fruits.
The bread (oh, how I love bread!) included both ready-to-eat and take-and-bake loaves, flatbreads, buns, brioche, wraps … loads of carby goodness.
And the deli had more cheese than France! Well … OK, not really. But it felt like it.
There’s goat cheese, cheddar, gouda, gruyere, mozzarella, edam and brie. There were herbed cheeses, cheese spreads and dips.
So. Much. Cheese.
And meat.
The deli meat selection included salamis, prosciutto, hams, turkeys and beef. That doesn’t even include the fresh meat and seafood department.
The dairy section is what one might expect: milk and eggs, coffee creamers, butter and more cheese.
For those who want it, almond, soy, oat and coconut milks are also available.
Aldi also carries snack items like chips, nuts and crackers, and a nice selection of chocolates, including assorted varieties of Schogetten, Moser Roth and Choceur chocolate bars.
Customers can also find frozen foods, breakfast items and cereals, seasonal products as well as household, baby and pet items.
The store does not currently have alcohol in stock.
Ward 7 Alderman Phil Elmore was present at the opening and said Aldi has its liquor license from the city, state permit pending, and should have inventory soon.
A big crowd on day one
The Belleville Aldi store held its grand opening Thursday morning, and the turnout was much more than I ever expected.
I thought I arrived early, but it turns out what felt like half of East Belleville arrived earlier.
The parking lot was more than full, with cars parked along the lot’s outer curbs and along the shoulder of Carlyle Avenue. I had to park at the Bank of America next door.
The line of customers, many with carts at the ready, started at the doors, ran along the side of the building to the back of the lot, then across the lot to the far corner.
Mayor Patty Gregory, Economic Development Director Clifford Cross, Elmore, Ward 7 Alderman Dennis Weygandt and Assistant Chief of Police Mark Heffernan were present for the grand opening and ribbon cutting.
The ribbon cutting was quick with no speeches. The Aldi team wanted to let the patiently waiting customers inside.
Gregory was happy to check out the goods before the opening. She bought a few items and said she’d be back later in the day to do some more shopping.
Gregory, Weygandt, Elmore, Cross and Heffernan greeted customers at the entrance.
Elmore said they were all “just excited about [the opening]. This is where the growth of Belleville is – the east end.”
He said there was still plenty room for more development on the east end of Belleville, which I will definitely keep an eye on.
The stream of customers flowed through the doors for more than 30 minutes before slowing to a trickle.
Why so many people? Everyone looked forward to Aldi opening. I think part of it was likely the opportunity for folks to snag some swag.
Decarlo said they had 1,000 totes to give out to customers.
She said the first 100 customers received totes that included numbered tickets – Golden Tickets, mystery gift cards that could be worth up to $100 – and Aldi products.
The following 900 customers would get the free reusable Aldi tote.
About Aldi Belleville
Aldi is located at 1805 Carlyle Ave. in Belleville. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
For more information about Aldi and its products, visit aldi.us.
This story was originally published February 15, 2024 at 1:12 PM.
