Aldi store opens in Cranberry
CRANBERRY TWP — Despite the cold temperatures, about 30 people lined up outside Cranberry Mall’s newest store Thursday morning.
Aldi officials cut the ribbon and welcomed customers to their new 18,000-square-foot grocery store, which was full of shoppers just minutes after opening at 9 a.m.
The store occupies part of a space that used to house Kuhn’s Market, which closed more than a year ago.
Aldi had been working on bringing a store to the township for several years, though the construction took just three months, said Brent Laubaugh, vice president of the company’s Saxonburg division.
“We made a really strong push to get the store open in advance of the holiday for our customers who wanted to shop here,” Laubaugh said.
The Saxonburg-based office manages 52 stores in Western Pennsylvania, western New York, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia.
Laubaugh said they sensed a demand for an Aldi in southwestern Butler County.
Many people from Cranberry, Zelienople and Evans City would travel to shop at the Aldi stores in Baden, Beaver County, and Wexford, Allegheny County, he said.
The store has the latest energy-efficient technology for its lighting and refrigeration. By saving money on its power bills, it is able to pass savings on to its customers, Laubaugh said.
Dian Fessler of New Sewickley Township, Beaver County, was first in line Thursday morning. She said she was happy that Cranberry now has an Aldi.
“They’ve got the bargains and they’ve got good stuff. Your money goes further here,” Fessler said.
Aldi is based in Germany and has 1,300 stores in the United States. It plans to add an average of 130 new stores a year in the next several years, according to a company news.
Larry Gumberg, president of LG Realty Advisor which manages Cranberry Mall, said that Aldi is one of several new retail tenants in the plaza.
“We are excited to bring lots of good retail opportunities to Cranberry Township,” Gumberg said.
Also planned for the mall are clothing store Rue 21, which has its corporate headquarters in Warrendale, Allegheny County, OshKosh B’Gosh and Carter’s, both of which sell children’s clothing.
