Planning Commission Approves Plans for New ALDI

This week, Maple Grove Planning Commission members brought the city one step closer to housing the community’s first ALDI grocery store. The proposed plans would place the new, 17,886 square foot store on three acres of land in the northeast quadrant of Maple Grove Parkway and Grove Circle North.

ALDI Real Estate Director Ryan Stemmons asked planning commissioners at a Monday, Aug. 29 meeting to review and approve the concept and development stage plan for the grocery store. Commissioners passed a unanimous motion to approve the plan which included detail about size, design and signage.

The store, if constructed, would share an entryway with Cambria Suites, boast a new 81-stall parking lot and provide a pedestrian crosswalk from the shopping area to the current Maple Grove Parkway trail.

Initially, ALDI’s construction and design was questioned because the rectangular and boxy shape of the store contrasted with the rest of The Grove architecture. After reviewing The Grove Development Guidelines, Stemmons and his team jazzed up ALDI’s original structural drawings to include red brick, columns and windows. In light of the unique design, Planning Commissioner Larry Colson noted that this ALDI is “radically different” from any other ALDI he’s seen.

“The architecture of the entire Grove development is very specific,” said Dick Edwards, Maple Grove’s Community Development Director. “The ALDI food store would be a front and center building.” Edwards suggested that adding more color to the building will help achieve the animated feel that is outlined in the development guidelines.

Stemmons indicated he would present the final building plans and drawings at the next City Council meeting, Tuesday, Sept. 6. If approved, construction could begin in the late spring or early fall of 2012.

ALDI is a discount grocery chain that currently operates more than 1,000 stores in the United States, 28 of which are in Minnesota. The grocery chain is unique in that 95 percent of available products are sold exclusively in ALDI stores and under the ALDI brand name.

According to their website, ALDI passes savings onto shoppers by implementing nontraditional cost-savings practices. Shoppers can bring their own shopping bags, or pay for paper or plastic bags. ALDI’s shopping cart deposit systems also keeps costs low. Shoppers can insert a quarter for a cart and, upon returning the cart, receive their quarter back. This eliminates the need for cart collection in the parking lot.

“ALDI is my favorite grocery store,” said Marlene Gualtieri, an excited Maple Grove resident. “It’s not your typical Cub or Rainbow, but I have not bought a product that I’ve been disappointed with.”

If you'd like additional information on this potential project, check out the PDF attachment included in this article.