EAST WINDSOR — A different kind of grocery store is expected to open in Windsor Center on Aug. 20.
ALDI, a national grocery chain, recently acquired the Bottom Dollar chain and converted 30 of the 66 Bottom Dollar stores, including the former Windsor Center store, into ALDI locations.
ALDI does things different than the average supermarket. Customers have to place a quarter in a cart, shop and then return the cart to get their quarter back. ALDI does not accept credit cards, only cash, debit and EBT cards. The store has reusable bags to purchase at checkout or customers can bring their own.
While a typical supermarket carries about 30,000 items, ALDI sells about 1,400 of the fastest-moving grocery items, most of which are ALDI brands, which must meet or exceed the national name brands on taste and quality.
The company also offers a “Double Guarantee,” stating if for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with any ALDI food product, ALDI will replace the product and refund the purchase price.
All of these differences are meant to add up to savings for consumers, with more than 30 million customers each month saving up to 50 percent on their grocery bills, benefiting from the ALDI simple and streamlined approach to retailing, according to the ALDI website.
Barry Quiner, director of asset management for Advance Realty, said, “We’re very pleased that ALDI will join the growing list of blue chip retail tenants enjoying success at Windsor Center. We invested in this center because the combination of an affluent population base and convenient location promised a great deal of value to be unlocked. In attracting brands of ALDI’s caliber, the site’s potential is coming to fruition.”
Located at 440 Route 130, the intersection of Routes 130 and 571 (Princeton-Hightstown Road), Windsor Center services East Windsor, Hightstown, Robbinsville, Cranbury and surrounding towns. The 130,000-square-foot retail center is currently 77 percent occupied, following a capital-intensive effort by Advance Realty and joint-venture partner Structure Tone Equities to improve the site’s appearance and operational functionality.
Mayor Janice Mironov said, “East Windsor is a terrific home for new businesses due to our strategic location, high visibility and accessibility. Windsor Center is especially well situated at the intersection of two major roadways and has undergone a dramatic transformation in both look and occupancy with an array of great tenants. Windsor Center is a major shopping destination for the many residents in East Windsor and the surrounding region.”
Windsor Center’s roster of tenants includes national brands, such as Taco Bell and PNC Bank, both on pad sites, as well as Ross Dress for Less, SmashBurger, Retro Fitness, Staples and Benjamin Moore. The remaining 29,600 square feet is available for lease in various-sized units.
ALDI operates nearly 1,400 stores in 32 states, primarily from Kansas to the East Coast.
ALDI was named the 2014 Retailer of the Year by Store Brands Magazine for its strong commitment to value and innovation-focused private brand product development.
For more information about ALDI, visit www.aldi.us.
