Homestead, McKeesport Bottom Dollars to Reopen as Aldis

By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
March 27, 2015
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

(Photo courtesy Aldi Inc.)

Bottom Dollar Foods supermarkets in Homestead and McKeesport are among locations that will be re-opened as Aldi stores, a company spokeswoman has announced.

No re-opening date has yet been set.

According to a press release first noted by the Pittsburgh Business Times, Aldi's parent company announced on Friday that it has completed its acquisition of 66 former Bottom Dollar markets from Bottom Dollar's parent company, Delhaize Group.

The two Mon Valley stores are among 30 former Bottom Dollar stores in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that will become Aldis.

McKeesport Mayor Mike Cherepko said his administration has been actively talking to Aldi since the company first announced its plans to acquire the Bottom Dollar stores.

"We have dedicated months of hard work and promotion to prove our city is an appealing market for Aldi as it considered the renovation of newly acquired Bottom Dollar stores," he said.

. . .

"I believe our city is a prime location for Aldi to maintain a successful business, and their operation will greatly benefit our residents, many of whom are feeding their families on fixed incomes," Cherepko said. "Bringing a low-price grocer back to McKeesport allows there to be healthy food choices for folks on any budget."

McKeesport's Bottom Dollar is located at the corner of Walnut Street and Eden Park Boulevard in Christy Park, at the former site of Keystone Auto Parts, a closed Eat'n Park and other businesses. It opened to great fanfare in January 2012.

But it closed three years later when North Carolina-based Delhaize announced it was exiting the discount grocery business to concentrate on its full-service supermarkets, which include the Food Lion chain.

Reopening the Christy Park store will help the city's efforts to turn the Walnut Street corridor into a new destination for retail stores and other businesses, Cherepko said.

Having an Aldi store in McKeesport will have a "positive economic impact" on the neighborhood. "Aldi is a well-known international retailer that can draw people to McKeesport from around the Mon Valley," Cherepko said.

. . .

Like Bottom Dollar, Aldi carries a limited selection of fresh and packaged groceries.

The company says it is able to save customers "up to 50 percent" on their grocery bills because it concentrates on private-label brands and focuses on "the most frequently purchased grocery and household items" and reducing "non-essential services."

Unlike full-service supermarkets such as Giant Eagle or Shop 'n Save, Aldi stores do not have in-store bakeries, delis, pharmacies or produce sections.

There are existing Mon Valley Aldi locations in North Versailles Twp., Forest Hills and West Mifflin.

. . .

A subsidiary of a privately held German company, Aldi Inc. has stores in 17 countries and is also the parent company of Trader Joe's supermarkets.

The Aldi division operates nearly 1,400 stores in 32 states, a company spokeswoman said. With the addition of the former Bottom Dollar locations, Aldi will be "able to ramp up our expansion plans in the region to meet the growing demand (for) high-quality groceries at everyday low prices in an easy to shop store," said Jason Hart, Aldi's CEO, in a prepared statement.

Other Western Pennsylvania stores scheduled to re-open as Aldi are in Aliquippa, Butler's Bon Aire Plaza, Carnegie, Baldwin Borough, Ross Twp., Pittsburgh's East End and Penn Hills (Saltsburg Road location).

The remaining Bottom Dollar locations may be sold or leased, an Aldi spokeswoman said. Local stores whose fates have yet to be determined include Butler's Butler Crossing location, Bridgeville, Castle Shannon, McKees Rocks and Penn Hills (Frankstown Road location).

Many of the stores to be sold or leased are already near existing Aldi locations.

In December 2013, Aldi announced plans to open an additional 650 stores by the end of 2018. With the acquisition of the Bottom Dollar locations, and construction of additional stores yet to come, Aldi intends to add 10,000 new jobs at stores, warehouses and division offices by 2018, a spokeswoman said.

. . .

Originally published March 27, 2015.

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