South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Freebies, bargains at Aldi grand opening
Pompano Beach store offers ‘golden ticket’ gift card giveaway
Grocery shoppers in Pompano Beach will be able to save more when a new Aldi opens later this month.
The city’s first store, at 960 N. Federal Highway, will host a ribbon-cutting at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 24 followed by a “golden ticket” gift card giveaway to welcome the first 100 new customers to attend the grand opening. Shoppers can also enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of produce, according to a news release.
The grocer began renovating the building that housed the Sugar Chest Antiques Mall in April.
The expansion is part of the company’s aggressive national growth and remodel plan, and it includes a 40 percent increase in fresh food selection with expansive refrigeration space with many organic, convenient and easy-to-prepare options, the company said.
Private-label brands make up about 90 percent of Aldi’s stock, which include the organic Sim-ply-Nature line; liveGfree, a line of gluten-free pasta, snacks and baking mixes; and Never Any! meats with no antibiotics or hormones. Most items come with a double money-back guarantee. You can’t beat the quality of the chain’s wines, either.
Stores carry many products similar to Trader Joe’s. For instance, Aldi will soon debut Stonemill Who Needs The Bagel? seasoning for $1.95. It’s a perfect copy of Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel seasoning blend that sells for a similar price.
As I’ve proclaimed in the past, I love shopping at Aldi. I almost exclusively buy all my groceries there, with rare stops into Publix to grab name-brand items. I’ve
cut my food bill in half, saving hundreds of dollars a year.
Besides the food bargains, I especially enjoy the “aisle of shame,” as it’s affectionately known by rabid fans. This is where you’ll find high-quality seasonal merchandise that often sells out each week. Many shoppers like me end up spending money intended for food (hence the word “shame” in the name) on everything from enameled cast iron pots to furniture and pet costumes for Halloween.
This week, you’ll find pumpkin- and harvest-scented three-wick candles for $3.99 (get ‘em before they’re gone!). They are strikingly similar to those sold at Bath & Both Works for three times the price. There also are cute pet costumes and an adorable cardboard “haunted” playhouse for cats that comes with catnip and two scratching pads for $7.99. Target is selling something similar for $17.
I’m not the only fan. There are thousands in the Aldi nerd community on Facebook that share recipes and product reviews.
Aldi tied with Publix for the No. 4 spot in the latest American Customer Satisfaction Index survey, which ranked the best and worst retailers of 2018. More than 62,000 consumers rated a total of 22 grocers in more than a dozen categories, including convenience, cleanliness, selection, sales and promotions, and speed of checkout.
The new Pompano store joins more than 30 South Florida locations among more than 1,800 stores in 35 states with more on the way.
The Batavia, Illinoisbased grocer is spending $5.3 billion to build 800 new stores and renovate current ones over the next five years, the company said.
‘Next gen’ Dunkin’ opens
A “next generation” Dunkin’ has opened in Deerfield Beach, the first of its kind in Florida.
The reimagined coffee shop of the future, at 1724 Hillsboro Blvd., gives South Florida a glimpse at the brand’s new modern design and innovative technologies, according to a news release.
The store celebrated its grand opening on Saturday.
Say so long to those cramped spaces and long lines as you wait for that morning cuppa Joe and a bite to eat. The spacious new store, which shares space with a Subway sandwich shop, features a clean, spacious design “to help to create an approachable, positive and energetic environment” and allows orders to be processed more quickly.
Most interesting are what Dunkin’ calls the “premium pours.” When entering, the first thing you notice are the eight giant draft handles at the coffee bar. Cold drinks are funneled through this new tap system similar to a brewery. But the newfangled beverage system dispenses nitro cold brew, dark roast coffee and teas instead of beer. Employees in newly designed uniforms will be happy to give a sample.
The store also has new espresso machines to make new lattes and other handcrafted drinks to order. A kiosk featuring assorted Dunkin’ coffees and products for purchase greets customers as they enter the store.
More next generation stores are in the works. The new concept, which debuted near Boston in 2018, is one of 50 or more new and remodeled Dunkin’ Donuts that will open, testing variations of this new design, according to the company.
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