Thursday, May 4, 2017

Score! Aldi Has Leased Former Sports Authority in Buckhead

Discount grocer entering Buckhead market.

Aldi, the German based discount grocer, has reportedly signed a lease on the former Sports Authority at Buckhead Pavilion (fka Sports Authority Center) on Peachtree Road in Buckhead. Sports Authority was the center's anchor for many years until it closed last year after filing for bankruptcy. 

The space, which measures just over 42,000 square feet, is far larger than a typical Aldi store.  That said, sources say that Aldi intends to occupy about 18,000 square feet of the space with plans to sublease the balance to another tenant. 

The new Aldi will put it a stone's throw from its corporate cousin, Trader Joe's, which opened in a former OfficeMax nearly in late 2008.  

German brothers Theo and Karl Albrecht opened the first Aldi (a syllabic abbreviation for Albrecht Diskont) in 1946. The company split into two in 1960, adopting the names Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd in 1962.  Theo operated Aldi Nord and Karl Albrecht operated Aldi Süd.  

Aldi Süd, as simply Aldi, entered the U.S. market in Iowa in 1976, and today has over 1,600 locations throughout 35 states. Karl, of Aldi Nord, bought Trader Joe's in 1979.   

Today Aldi operates nearly 60 locations across the state including recently opened locations in Tucker and Peachtree Corners.  Both the Tucker and Peachtree Corners locations sport the company's new, upscale design with enhanced interiors and an emphasis on organic produce.  

Trader Joe's, by comparison, operates only seven locations in Georgia.  

Aldi is seen by many as "low brow," or on the level of Big Lots, where people have the ill-conceived notion that only expired food is sold.  In reality, Aldi, like Trader Joe's, emphasizes a "no frills" approach with stores largely stocked with private label merchandise that is both cheaper to the consumer and more profitable to the company.  

Attempts to reach Aldi for comment via their preferred media inquiry method were met with unfulfilled promises on the part of their PR firm of record, Weber Shandwick.  

Are you excited at the prospect of having an Aldi in Buckhead?  Did you know Trader Joe's and Aldi were kinda sorta cousins?  What would you like to see open in the remaining space?  ... Are you like me, and when you think of this center you miss EatZi's even more?

Please share your thoughts below.  

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why put a discount grocery store in Buckhead? That's like putting a Macy's or Nordstrom in East Point. The wealthy in Buckhead love their Whole Foods and their Fresh Market and their expensive restaurants and their Buckhead Atlanta and they love to overpay for everything while driving down Piedmont or Peachtree in their BMWs. They wouldn't be caught dead at a WalMart and they certainly wouldn't be caught dead at a place like this, which sounds like the K-Mart of grocery stores.

Anonymous said...

That's very presumptuous of you. I've lived in Buckhead 13 years, and I don't drive a luxury car or shop at Whole Foods. In fact, I only buy what's on sale and clip coupons!!

ImAndy said...

It will be huge! People spending $1700 a month for a studio apartment working for $17 an hour at Lenox need this place. You won't see anybody from Chastain Park here though so half your point is correct.

Anonymous said...

Personally do not care for either Aldi or Trader Joes for their limited selection(s). Nothing in either store is spectacular enough for me to make a special trip. Agree with the first poster about the location, and perhaps the "offended" 2nd poster is the Exception not the Rule (customer demographic). Heck, I live in an area of ATL often viewed as low brow and I wonder if new retailers that seem to be flocking here aren't making a huge mistake. Just look at the national retail chains, restaurants, and specialty grocers that are struggling to survive and closing stores. Aldi better hope their due diligence that has worked in the past can survive the current economic trends. Today's Stud could be Tomorrows Dud!

Anonymous said...

How do you think the wealthy stay wealthy? By shopping discount whenever possible. Also, not everyone who lives near there is wealthy.

396 said...

Can't tell if you're being sarcastic but some people are able to live in Buckhead precisely because they buy just about everything other than their housing as cheaply as they can. I've worked with plenty of people who make $250K and up whose favorite hobby was complaining about how much things cost. Being thrifty is fashionable nowadays.

I think Aldi will do just fine. Besides, think of all the people who work in Buckhead but live somewhere else and will shop there before and after work in addition to people from the neighborhood. I'd be more concerned about the fact that it's between two Publix stores and across the street from a Kroger.

Anonymous said...

@Anon,

Speaking hypotheticially, why not East Point? there is nothing wrong with a Macy's being in East Point.They're a lot of nice spots there and Camp Creek marketplace is a pretty nice retail district. You'll be surprised where some Macy's are located. Believe it or not, they're not always in classified upscale communities like Buckhead or Northpoint. I know of one or two Macy's that are in non-upscale communities yet they have been in their perspective areas for 20-30 plus years. Not that long ago, there was talk about closing Macy's. The ironic part about the closures was that the non-upscale areas that people expected for to close so far isn't slated on the list . As a matter of fact, they're new TJMaxx like concept is coming to one of these supposed-to-be-extinct stores in the area. Speaking of East Point, there is a Macy's store not far away from there. As of now, they are still open and have been for a long time.The biggest myth about those areas is people not being able to afford it, if they weren't able to afford it, Macy's still would be there/on the immediate chopping block. Funny thing is that some of the Macy's store that have closed were in Upscale/middle class communities.

Anonymous said...

Uh oh Weber Shandwick! You obviously have annoyed Eli. Have you ever heard of ToneTo Death Watch?

Anonymous said...

Macy sucks! They grew/absorbed into areas and became NOTHING SPECIAL! I remember going to Macy when it was a special place like NYC. They watered down the brand and as a result they are subtracting from areas. Its like mattress firm ... Keep traveling 5 miles until you see the next one. They took over some of my favorite brands (Lazarus, Rich's, Marshall Field ...) and grew to over 700 stores so I can't help but smile to now see this watered down brand loose some ground and start to reduce. Karma sucks bitch!


Signed with love from Lazarus, Rich's and Marshall Field.

Anonymous said...

Agree that the wealthy are very frugal people ... but they are also the type that won't go to a store and deal with the rude masses and crowds that frequent these places. Time is money, and sometimes going to a uber popular store like Aldi where after the crowds are gone it looks like a war zone - why bother? Ive been reading a lot lately about people withdrawing from public spaces and seeking places to shop that are less crowed. Besides I have noticed that Kroger and Publix have been lowering prices.

Anonymous said...

Who wastes time to clip coupons anymore? How do you know exactly how the wealthy got that way if you aren't wealthy yourself? How do you really know what people do in public is different from their private lives?

As globalization has risen, so has self segregation across all demographics. I voted for Obama and for Trump. Sorry folks none of us has any idea if "Buckhead Betty" will ever step foot in Aldi!

Anonymous said...

I prefer the Brookhaven Betty @ Corner Pizza than the Buckhead Betty referred to above!!! Smoked Salmon Lox on Pizza Mmmm

Anonymous said...

At Aldi if you wish to use a shopping cart, it requires you to deposit a deposit of 25 cents into the rack to release your cart. The deposit is refunded when you return the cart. However, the cart dispenser does not accept credit cards, Apple pay or Google pay. So Aldi shoppers will need to have a quarter stashed in their console. Or bring their own shopping bags. Does Gucci offer anything appropriate? Coach?

Anonymous said...

perfect location for Aldis.....a top level store...I shop at several of them in the Atlanta area....buy food that I cannot find any place else......easy with the wagons lined up in a row....store meticulous as nice as any other market in the city...well trained employeees....growing wine and beer selection. should be an addition to Buckhead....Will give shoppers another wonderful alternative to whole foods......and Fresh Market.....both fine stores, but sterile..... and very over priced.

Anonymous said...

Aldi's is great! I drive up Buford Highway to the Clairmont store! So happy one is opening in Buckhead! Great items, great prices.

Anonymous said...

Aldi’s low overhead and no-frills approach will cause you to re-consider the comparable monstrosities of excess you see at Publix, Kroger, and Whole Foods. The costs of free samples, free bags, service counters for everything, and herds of employees milling about wind up in your receipt. I used to live in Buckhead and would drive over to the Clairmont store occasionally, even though there was a Publix within walking distance of home. It was worth it. I'm sure it will do well.

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