Aldi lands in Manhattan's Times Square
Aldi, one of the fastest-growing grocery chains that’s popular because of its low prices, is set to open its first location in midtown Manhattan in New York City.
The 25,000-square-foot Aldi store, to open in 2026, will be located on 42nd Street on the edge of Times Square in The Ellery, a new luxury residential building.
"In 2026, ALDI will bring unbeatable value, award-winning products and a simpler shopping experience to one of the largest markets in the country,” an Aldi spokesperson told Bagable.com. “Our first store in midtown Manhattan will deliver what people already love about Aldi — a smaller footprint, curated selection of on-trend, award-winning products and a grocery experience that saves shoppers time and money.”
Aldi already has several locations in NYC, including a store on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
“The Aldi flagship location at The Ellery marks a major milestone in the transformation of the Times Square area into a premier residential destination,” George Tsapelas, senior vice president with Taconic Partners, said in a statement. “Aldi is an ideal neighborhood partner, offering the West Side a much-needed grocery store that will resonate with our residents and the community.”
With its no-frills, small-sized, hybrid grocery/discount store concept, Aldi sits in a sweet spot with shoppers as more families turn to low-cost sellers of groceries and everyday essentials to help them stay within budget and keep expenses down.
The company is able to keep its prices low and compete aggressively with other value-priced grocery sellers, such as Walmart WMT 0.00%↑ , because 90% of its products are private label instead of higher-priced branded alternatives.
Its customers, including the 3.5 million members of the Aldi Aisle of Shame Facebook page, appreciate Aldi’s small-store format for another reason — it allows them to save time by getting in and out of the store quickly compared to a Walmart Supercenter.
Plus, every Aldi store has a middle aisle called “Aldi Finds,” also dubbed as the “aisle of shame.” It’s stocked with all kinds of unexpected items — candles, clothing, shoes, pet products, lawn decoration, home decor, school supplies and toys.
Aldi said its newest Manhattan store is “another big step in our journey to make affordable, quality groceries available to more people. Shoppers everywhere are feeling the squeeze of high grocery prices and Aldi is showing up with real value, saving a family of four nearly $4,000 per year."
Aldi, which is already spreading across America’s neighborhoods at a furious pace, plans to add more than 225 stores this year. The retailer currently operates more than 2,500 stores in the US.