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Nikki Lansford
Northeast News
After being closed for over a month for renovations, one Aldi grocery store located in Northeast has officially reopened and is more modern than ever. Both the 6300 Independence Ave. location and 3830 Prospect Ave. are fully renovated and open for business as of March 29.
The revamped stores are a part of a $5 billion investment made by the deep-discount grocer to remodel existing stores and open hundreds of new shops across the country. The grocery chain has pledged to open 100 new stores and 500 curbside pickup sites in 2021 alone.
The new remodels feature not only a more modern and sleek look, but also several new key features that stores previously did not have.
The upgraded stores provide an improved layout with additional refrigeration space to accommodate an expanded food selection of both fresh produce and refrigerated goods. With the additional space created through the recent renovations, Aldi has added more organic products and ready-to-eat items to its shelves.
“The produce section seems to have improved, which is awesome,” said Sarah Scott, a Northeast resident who lives less than a mile away from an Aldi. “I’m vegan and they started carrying tofu. I don’t know if it’s a permanent thing or not, but I was really excited to find it there.”
The look of the two stores does not only seem wider due to the floor plan, but also the addition of open ceilings and natural lighting, as well. Shoppers noticed the wide open windows and high ceilings give the stores a feeling of being more spacious.
“It’s less crowded, the aisles are bigger – or wider – and easier to navigate,” Scott said.
Also gone are the bright colors that once covered the inside of every Aldi store 20 years ago. The new remodel features neutral colors that fit a more modern style.
“I mean, you knew you were shopping at Aldi in the old ones,” said Kimiya Del’Abeille, a Northeast resident who has visited Aldi twice since the two locations reopened. ”It was very, very noticeable, but in this one it looks a lot nicer.”
In addition to a remodeled interior, the stores have also gained the ability to be partially self-sustainable and environmentally friendly. Rooftop solar panels were installed that will power up to 60% of the store’s energy needs. Furthermore, the remodels were done with environmentally friendly building materials.
“Aldi continues to prioritize remodeling stores with one goal in mind: to provide the best grocery shopping experience,” said Mark Bersted, Olathe Division vice president for Aldi. “We are excited for Kansas City residents to see the updated location, specifically designed to make shopping even easier, but Aldi fans can rest assured that the high-quality products and unbeatable value Aldi provides will remain unchanged.”
Both newly reopened stores are open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The location at 721 The Paseo remains closed for renovation. It will reopen on Monday, April 19.
“Looking ahead, we’ll be remodeling our 6415 Troost store this summer,” Bersted said. “In addition to updating existing stores, we are expanding in the Kansas City market, too. At the beginning of April, we opened a brand-new store located 945 N. 110th St. in Kansas City, Kan., and we have plans to open another new Kansas City, Mo., location before the end of the year.”
Currently, Aldi operates more than 2,070 stores in 37 states. In June, the company reached the 2,000 store milestone.