Famous German discount supermarket Lidl officially opened its store in Manhattan’s Lower East Side on August 1st, attracting thousands of eager customers lining up for the grand opening. The long queue stretched along Grand St, with enthusiastic shoppers waiting to take advantage of Lidl’s reputation for great value and the special coupons given to the first 100 customers.
Despite the excitement, there was also a protest by members of the New York District Council of Carpenters on the opening day, causing some commotion that attracted a police presence. However, their presence added to the lively atmosphere of the event.
One elderly customer even woke up at 4 a.m. just to secure the opening discount coupon from Lidl. She exclaimed, “This is the best store in the city.”
Lidl discount supermarkets operate in over 32 countries worldwide with more than 12,000 stores. Lidl U.S., the American branch of the company, currently has nearly 190 stores on the East Coast and is working to expand its influence in the United States.
Emily Zurawski, the Corporate Affairs Manager of Lidl U.S., stated that the Grand St store is the 189th Lidl store in the United States, with a focus on New York City, the Washington D.C. area, and the Atlanta metropolitan region.
“We are thrilled to bring Lidl, a global company from Europe, to the U.S. We know this brand is well-loved, so we are extremely excited about it,” said Zurawski. “We strive to keep this store similar to Lidl international stores, offering a wide range of products, including non-food items.”
A visitor from Europe expressed her love for Lidl, praising the unique, delicious, and affordable products at the store. She mentioned missing some inexpensive items like makeup, clothing, and unique electronics compared to the European stores and hoped they would be added in the future.
Walking into Lidl, the layout mirrors that of European stores, with bakery counters, seafood selections, fresh produce, and canned goods, all at surprisingly lower prices than similar American products.
For example, croissants that are usually priced at 0.49 dollars were half off on opening day, while a pack of sausages made from pork and chicken cost only 0.99 dollars. An air fryer was snapped up at 20 dollars by the early bird customers.
“Better quality at cheaper prices, I believe Lidl is the best store in New York City,” said the visitor from Europe.
Mrs. Nereida, who arrived at 4:30 a.m. to line up at Lidl, shared the sentiment. Living five blocks away, she and her daughter had previously visited a Lidl store in South Carolina and were delighted by the opening of the store near their residence. She lauded Lidl for offering budget-friendly options and planned to spend around 100 dollars on meat products like bacon, chicken wings, and paper towels.
In addition to the new Lower East Side store, Lidl has opened supermarkets in Harlem, Astoria, Elmhurst, Fresh Meadows, East Rockaway, and Staten Island in Manhattan. Customers who appreciate European quality can explore Lidl stores in New York City for potential surprises and delights.