STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Aldi, the discount grocer well known for its competitive prices and private label goods, just dropped some big Staten Island news: The brand’s second borough location in New Dorp will officially open for business on June 26, and the new store will be one of 30 select New York locations to offer beer, cider, and ready-to-drink adult beverages.
“We are excited to confirm that our new store in Staten Island is expected to open on Thursday, June 26,” Chris Daniels, Aldi’s South Windsor Divisional vice president, noted in a statement. “To celebrate, we’ll be hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:30 a.m. to welcome the community to the new store.”
Daniels noted that the location will carry a variety of sangria, margaritas, radlers and hard seltzers — all of which will be available at a price point of $15 or less.
Located at 430 New Dorp Lane, in the space formerly occupied by Applebee’s, Mandee, Justice and New York & Co., the address, which offers 44,448 square feet of retail space at the corner of Hylan Boulevard, has been vacant for at least four years and was earmarked as a “supermarket anchor” by the shopping center’s realtor in 2021.
Work had been ongoing at the site, reportedly for an Amazon Fresh — a tell-tale green-striped awning and rows of shopping cart bays in place for more than two years — but Amazon never formally admitted the space was slated for one of its grocery stores. The e-tailer, however, filed for a conditional liquor license at that location and enabled a Wi-Fi hotspot in the parking lot— both of which were removed after Aldi announced its intentions for the site last August.
Aldi, which opened its first Staten Island store in Greenridge Plaza in September, operates more than 2,000 locations throughout 36 states, mostly concentrated in the eastern half of the country. Known for its no-frills selling strategy and competitive prices, the company is headquartered in Batavia, Illinois, and employs more than 25,000 people.