Lidl Grocery Store Set to Open This Month

North Penn Now Staff•

The long-awaited return of a grocery store to the former location of Acme is almost over, as Lidl has announced the date of their grand opening later this month.

Towamencin Township Manager Rob Ford has confirmed to North Penn Now that Lidl is planning on a Grand Opening date of Jan. 29. Use and occupancy inspections are already underway, Ford said.

Located at 1150 Welsh Road, the Germany-based discount grocer will occupy nearly 30,000-square-feet of the former Acme location, with the remainder set aside for a to-be-determined tenant to occupy the second portion of the building.

Sam Kachidza, senior real estate manager for Lidl US, said the Towamencin site is one of eight Lidl grocery stores that will open in Pennsylvania. The first Pennsylvania Lidl store opened Dec. 5, 2017, in Folsom. There are 62 stores that have opened in the United States since Summer 2017. Lidl also operates 10,000 stores in 28 countries in Europe and employs more than 215,000 people.

Kachidza said that, in Germany, there is very little that distinguishes the Lidl from their main competitor, Aldi, as both are very similar in size. He said the U.S. Lidl prototypes are slightly bigger, as Aldi’s are usually between 16,000 and 20,000 square feet.

“In terms of product offering, we each have our markets we cater to, and it’s different here,” Kachidza said. “It’s up to the consumer to decide which two they prefer. We are a local grocer, and we aim and thrive to be a local grocer.”

The Towamencin Board of Supervisors granted a waiver of land development for Lidl in January 2019, roughly one week after Lidl purchased the 6.5-acre property. The following month in February 2019, Lidl was granted a waiver of the formal land development process by the board of supervisors, which was the final step prior to the beginning of construction.

“I’d like to thank you,” Supervisor Laura Smith said, during the January 2019 board of supervisors meeting. “Because with the other grocery store being gone, it left a hole in the community, not only our community, but the Borough of Lansdale. It’s been a big impact. Having you go there versus storage units is important. It has great purpose for us and the community and I appreciate you giving Towamencin a second chance.”

Officials from Lidl have not released any details regarding planned festivities for the Grand Opening on Jan. 29. Should those details be provided in the coming weeks, we will add them to this article.