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Discount grocer shows interest

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published December 28, 2006

PINELLAS PARK - An international grocery chain is considering Pinellas Park for what could be its first location in the Tampa Bay area.

Aldi Inc., a discount grocery that began 40 years ago in Germany, met with city officials in September to discuss the possibility of opening a store at 6700 66th St. N, which once housed a Wachovia bank.

It is one of three Pinellas County sites the chain is considering, city officials said. They forwarded information to the company about the community and its biggest employers.

The inquiry marks the second grocer in recent months to open talks with Pinellas Park. Wal-Mart wants to build a standalone grocery at 6900 U.S. 19 N, where the Sunshine Bowl once stood and less than a mile from the Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Aldi representatives could not be reached for comment. But the company's Web site, www.aldi.us, said the chain has more than 5,000 locations worldwide. In the United States, there are 800 locations in 26 states.

Aldi is a discount store that carries mostly private labels, such as Beaumont coffee and Kirkwood chicken. The company says customers can do 90 percent of their weekly shopping at half the cost.

But the discount comes with a price. Customers must pay a quarter to use a shopping cart, which is returned when the cart is taken back to its proper location.

Also, shoppers need to bring their own bags, or buy paper or plastic bags from Aldi.

[Last modified December 27, 2006, 21:04:19]