New Aldi supermarket opens on Boston Road

Date: 2/22/2010

Feb. 22, 2010

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD -- The store wasn't open for business, but the line of people waiting to get into the new Aldi Supermarket on Boston Road stretched the length of the building and into the completely full parking lot.

Located at the corner of Pasco Road and Boston Road at the former site of the Abdow's restaurant, the new supermarket bucks the trend of the superstore. There are no in-store banks, pharmacies, bagging clerks, check cashing or photo processing to be found.

The Springfield store is the second one in the state and opened for business on Friday. It was open on Thursday for a preview.

The Director of Operations for the market, Kenyatti Decker, said what consumers will find is high quality grocery items at low prices. Decker said the current 1,100 store chain has been operating stores in New York, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut and considers Massachusetts as a "key market."

Decker said the store will carry between 1,200 and 1,400 items, nearly all of which will be under their own house labels. He explained there will be special buys featured as well and if demand is sufficient, those items might be added as regular additions to the inventory.

The lack of frills keeps the overhead down, he said. The store's small staff -- ten full-time employees and several managers -- also keeps the operation affordable. The store doesn't have the long hours as do other supermarkets. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Besides grocery items the store also carries non-grocery items such as small appliances, auto accessories and shelving as special offers.

Springfield residents Ray and Phyllis Prendergast have been driving to the Aldi market in Vernon, Conn., to take advantage of the store's prices. Even with the cost of driving to Vernon from Springfield, the couple insisted they saved money.

Ray Prendergast said, "Look at this coat. I got it there."

Phyllis Prendergast added, "It's cheaper than Wal-Mart."

To learn more about the supermarket chain, visit its Web site at www.aldifoods.com.