Busy spot in the Columbia area will get a major national grocery store location
A well-known grocery store chain has plans to open a new location in the Midlands.
Aldi, which has locations across the U.S. and globally, is bringing a new store to Camden, according to Wednesday social media posts from the city of Camden. The city said permits have been issued for the project and construction begins soon, with a possible opening next summer. The grocer would be going into a shopping center at 2209 W. Dekalb St.
An Aldi has long been rumored for the Camden site, with Mayor Vincent Sheheen hinting at the deal on social media nearly six months ago.
There are 54 Aldi stores in South Carolina, including seven in the Midlands. Those include three stores in Columbia, two in Lexington, one in West Columbia and one in Irmo, according to a store locator tool on the company’s website.
Aldi has more than 2,500 stores across the U.S., per data website ScrapeHero, and has steadily grown with its low prices and streamlined store designs. One of the quirks of the supermarket chain is that customers must deposit a quarter to unlock a grocery cart for shopping. The quarter is then refunded when the customer returns the cart, helping the company save money by not having to hire staff to collect the carts from the parking lot.
The Midlands has continued to add grocery stores to its landscape. For instance, in April a new Publix opened on Earth Road near Spears Creek Church Road in Elgin near northeast Columbia. Meanwhile, a new Lowes Foods is being developed on Platt Springs Road in the Red Bank area of Lexington, and a new Food Lion is on the way on Two Notch Road in Elgin.
