Salisbury may bag new grocery store in Lidl
A German discount supermarket chain is making plans to open one of its first U.S. stores in Salisbury.
Lidl (pronounced "LEE-dull") operates more than 10,000 stores in 26 countries in Europe. It opened a U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, last summer and plans to open its first American stores by 2018.
One of those might be on the north side of Salisbury. If built, the 36,000-square-foot Lidl store would replace the troubled Americas Best Value Inn at 2625 N. Salisbury Blvd.
Lidl US Operations LLC is seeking the county's approval of its plan to protect groundwater beneath the site as part of its redevelopment. The 5-acre site sits on top of a portion of the paleo channel, the main drinking water supply for the cities of Salisbury and Delmar.
A Lidl spokesman didn't confirm or deny the chain's interest in the Salisbury location. But he said it is "actively pursuing sites" along the East Coast from New Jersey to Georgia, including Maryland.
“We’re a well-established company, and we’re so exciting to be expanding in the U.S.," Will Harwood said. “We’re really building on the foundation that’s made Lidl successful in Europe.”
The store would diversify Wicomico County's portfolio of supermarkets. The only large grocers in the county are Walmart, Food Lion and Giant — and there is widespread speculation that the pending merger between the parent companies of Food Lion and Giant will lead to the closure of the lone Giant. Giant officials say they have no plans to close the store.
Salisbury and Wicomico's planning department has signaled its support for the water-protection plan. Planners are recommending that the company make it possible for its parking lot to be connected to the Lord Salisbury Shopping Center to the north.
The issue is set to go before the planning board Thursday, April 21.
Business Insider describes Lidl as a "cross between Walmart and Trader Joe's." It and fellow German grocer Aldi are jockeying to crack the U.S. market.
The U.S. version of Lidl's website describes several attributes it is looking for in future store sites. Among them: being on a minimum of size of 3.5 acres, set in an established retail area and traffic counts of at least 20,000 vehicles a day.
Mayor Jake Day said the prospect of a new store is "exciting" and may, due to its location, create improved access to two future civic projects: a new north-side fire station and an extension of Jasmine Drive from East North Point Drive to East Naylor Mill Road.
Day added that he looks forward to something new in place of Americas Best Value Inn, which has become a magnet in recent years for police calls and was the site of a notorious murder last August.
“This has been a property that has been problematic over the last few years," Day said. "I think this represents a good, positive change for this property.”