Any doubts German discount grocer ALDI Foods harbored about public acceptance of its newest Connecticut store may have been dashed with last week’s West Hartford debut.
The ALDI store parking lot at 511 New Park Ave. was jam-packed throughout last Tuesday, opening day for its 15th location in the state.
Technically, the Iowa-based ALDI chain has two markets in West Hartford, counting its affiliated Trader Joe’s specialty-foods market in the Corbins Corner Shopping Plaza across from Westfarms mall.
Meanwhile, ALDI recently announced plans for a store in Enfield, in space formerly a Linens ‘N Things outlet on Hazard Avenue. It also is building a Springfield store that will open in February.
Fortunato Construction in Berlin, contractor on the West Hartford store, is building the Springfield location.
ALDI markets will never be confused with mega supermarkets. ALDI stores, spartan but bright and airy, typically have 10 employees and contain 17,000 square feet; 10,000 of which is devoted to product display and checkout.
ALDI’s first Connecticut store opened in 1997 in Waterbury. (GREGORY SEAY)
CT Democrats Balk At Rell’s Deficit Plan
Democratic legislative leaders in Connecticut are working on a plan to close the state’s budget deficit, dismissing Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s proposal as a jobs killer that will hurt important programs.
The governor had called the General Assembly back to the Capitol to vote on her deficit-cutting plan, but lawmakers gathered for about 15 minutes on Dec. 15 before heading home.
Democratic leaders said they hoped to return possibly before the end of the year or even before Christmas, to vote on a different plan. The current two-year, $37.6 billion state budget approved in September, is already $467 million short. (AP)
