Bargain-seekers shop ALDI on opening day

Customers flock to new store on Harbor Town Lane

By: Chalie Mathews, Herald Times Reporter

MANITOWOC — With five oversized, plastic-insulated, frozen-item grocery bags, as well as a dozen paper bags, ALDI Food Market opening day shopper Patti Eslinger was well-prepared Thursday.

"I've got a son, 21, and daughter, 19, who are big eaters," said the Mishicot resident. Eslinger said her children never complain about the non-name brand groceries featured at the new ALDI, 4111 Harbor Town Lane.

Eslinger shops ALDI regularly because of its emphasis on private label brand foods, as well as cost-cutting measures like requiring a quarter deposit for shopping carts and charging customers for bags if they haven't brought their own.

"This looks like a NASCAR race … you're ready to rush into the store," Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels told a couple dozen shoppers before taking place in a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at the store.

It replaces the international chain's outlet at Shopko Plaza, about a mile east, which opened more than 20 years ago.

"This store has big aisles and isn't as cluttered," Lynne Holum of Sheboygan Falls said of the business located between Charcoal Grill and Aspen Dental Clinic on the city's west side. She shops ALDI for its fresh fruit.

In fact, the Moore family from Two Rivers had four one-pint containers of strawberries in their cart. Gavin, 2, was in it, along with French toast bites, a box of waffle ice cream cones and a bag of 20 individual servings of snack chips.

"Potato chips are potato chips," said Manitowoc's Nikki Selsing, who likes the low prices ALDI touts when shoppers buy its brands.

Selsing said she would like to see ALDI make improvement in some of its soups, including cream of mushroom.

With grocery list in hand, Reedsville's Roger Hoida said he's satisfied with everything ALDI carries. "The 'Fit & Active' strawberry lemonade is very good," Hoida said.

Just 15 minutes after opening, about 100 customers were in the store's five aisles featuring the 1,400 items ALDI officials say are the most frequently purchased grocery and household items.

The chain also touts limited-availability or reduced-price specials each week. Floor fans, skateboards, pineapples, turkey burgers, Hawaiian deli pizzas and bacon-wrapped beef tenderloin filet mignon steaks are among this week's specials.

ALDI has more than 1,000 stores in 31 states and has grown without mergers or acquisitions. It opened 80 new stores in the United States in 2009 and plans to open another 100 in 2010.

ALDIs are located in Sheboygan, Appleton, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Green Bay.

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