Aldi opening in Bloomingdale Dec. 12; Carol Stream store closing
A Carol Stream Aldi store officially will close its doors on Dec. 11, but the next day, the discount grocer will open a supermarket in Bloomingdale.
In the midst of a rapid expansion, the German chain, which has its U.S. headquarters in Batavia, has been renovating a former Staples building at Army Trail Road and Madsen Drive near the Bloomingdale Costco. The new store will open with some fanfare and giveaways for shoppers on Dec. 12.
In Carol Stream, Aldi reopened a Schmale Road location in June 2017 after a major renovation as part of the company's "aggressive" plan to remodel and add U.S. stores.
The existing Aldi on Schmale Road will remain open, but the grocer is closing its other Carol Stream store at 125 Stark Drive. Adli put the property, to the west of Gary Avenue, up for sale in September. The listing price is $900,000.
During a village board meeting earlier this week, Carol Stream Mayor Frank Saverino said Aldi was looking to buy a neighboring restaurant property in order to expand and stay within the village, but the owner "wanted more money than what it was worth." That Carol Stream store has 14,880 square feet of space.
"We did everything we could to keep Aldi's here," Saverino said. " ... I don't think they really wanted to leave, but they couldn't live with that footprint anymore."
The Stark Drive store will be replaced with the chain's new supermarket in Bloomingdale just over a mile away at 525 W. Army Trail Road.
Batavia Division Vice President Laura Branneman has said the store will have open ceilings, natural lighting, environmentally friendly building materials and a "robust selection" of fresh produce, dairy and meat.
The Bloomingdale Aldi will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:25 a.m. Dec. 12. The store will offer samplings of Adli products, and shoppers can enter into a sweepstakes for a chance to win a year's supply of produce.
Based on the plans submitted by Aldi to the village, the former Staples building is 20,324 square feet.