Shoppers line up to see Midtown Aldi grocery store

0
1


These shoppers are bananas.

More than 500 people lined up in Times Square just to be among the first to enter a brand new supermarket.

The eager shoppers swarmed the 42nd Street store in the hours before its grand opening to check out the new Aldi — which customers say is a major draw for the notoriously crowded tourist hub.


A new ALDI grocery store opened on 42nd St, between 8th and 9th Ave.
More than 500 people lined up to attend the Aldi grand opening. Matthew McDermott for NY Post

Baraba Porteus said she loved how roomy the new store is.

“I was trapped in a burning cruise ship years ago. I have PTSD from that,” said the 71 year old, who described herself as “claustrophobic.”

“Plus, the store is subterranean, so the fact that I got in, came around and didn’t run out screaming.”

The Aldi is the first in Midtown, and one of the very few throughout the Big Apple.

The shop celebrated with a ribbon-cutting — and handed out gift bags stocked with snacks, olive oil, beef sticks and more to the first 200 customers.


Tyre Washington.
Tyre Washington called the store “the best thing that’s happened to this area.” Matthew McDermott for NY Post

The tote bags were also separate from the “blind boxes” filled with mystery treats that Aldi will be handing out to shoppers throughout next week as part of a limited-time promotion.

But the shoppers Friday said the gifts didn’t influence them to line up Friday morning — the 511-person line was full of eager shoppers looking to get a glimpse of the newest grocery store, they said.

Aldi is popular for offering groceries at lower costs than other big box stores in the area, like Target.

The chain is also famous for its “Aisle of Shame” — as it is known to store fans on social media — which is an aisle in most stores that features a rotating line-up of limited-time and seasonal inventory other than food.

“This is the best thing that’s happened to this area,” said Tyre Washington, who lives two blocks away in Hudson Yards, adding that he somehow grabbed some groceries before it officially opened to the public.

Washington is an Aldi fanatic, saying he used the grocery chain to cater his son’s wedding.

“If you’re talking about low prices, good quality food, there’s no match,” Washington said.



Source link

ADVERTISEMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here