Aldi, the international discount supermarket chain, appears to be opening its first Northeast Florida store in St. Augustine.
A leasing plan for the redeveloped Seabridge Square, at 1795 U.S. 1 S., lists a “proposed Aldi” on its tenant roster and a site plan shows the store, with its blue logo, at the north end of the center.
Aldi would occupy 16,807 square feet of space in the 161,594-square-foot shopping center, which is west of U.S. 1, north of Florida 312.
The Selig Enterprises site at seligenterprises.com reports that Seabridge Square “is soon to receive a new look and new
collection of national retail tenants.”
It says the retail center “will undergo a $10 million renovation to make room for PetSmart, Ross Dress for Less, Staples, Ulta Beauty and at least one full-service restaurant to be announced, to join the existing anchor, Marshalls.”
The renovation will include space for additional small shops or a junior anchor.
The Aldi is shown at the northern end, next to Staples.
Aldi focuses on a streamlined selection of products and it leases shopping carts for a refundable quarter.
With about 60 stores in Central and South Florida, sources have been saying the chain has been looking for sites in Northeast Florida.
Aldi said its location criteria includes an average 17,032-square-foot building with a minimum of 85 dedicated parking spaces; development lots or pads although inline or end-cap spaces also are considered; a trade area population of more than 35,000 people within three miles; and sites in community and regional shopping districts with convenient access.
While the Seabridge Square plan states the store is proposed, the inclusion of the name indicates Aldi is a viable prospect.
The contact for Selig Enterprises in Atlanta was not immediately available.
Officially, the chain, whose U.S. corporate offices are in a Chicago suburb, won’t say a lot.
“Aldi is currently expanding in many markets, but we can’t always confirm new store locations in advance,” Aldi said in a statement Monday.
Aldi issued a similar statement Tuesday.
Overall, Aldi has more than 1,200 U.S. stores in 32 states, mainly from Kansas to the East Coast. It has added 80 store a year, on average.
Aldi entered Central Florida in 2008 and now has about 60 stores among 45 cities, including Ocala and Daytona, and intends to have 70 locations open by the end of the year.
Aldi’s Central Florida distribution center is in Haines City.
Aldi is based in Germany and has more than 9,200 locations worldwide.
@MathisKb
(904) 356-2466