This time, Lidl is making news for closing a NJ store

Lidl has been in the news locally for a couple of years, because of their aggressive expansion in New Jersey, but now comes word that they are closing a relatively new store.

Getty Images/ TSM Illustration

It’s a crowded, competitive grocery market in the Garden State, with established stores like ShopRite, Stop and Shop, Acme fighting for market share against relative newcomers like Aldi, Trader Joe’s, Lidl, and Amazon Fresh.

Just last year, Lidl announced that they would be adding at least 10 new stores in New Jersey as part of a $500 million expansion along the East Coast, but now they are closing an underperforming store.

According to Asbury Park Press, the Howell store on Route 9 will be ceasing operations on July 16th.

As a casual observer, it doesn’t surprise me; I have shopped there before, and it was never busy, as a matter of fact, they often only had one checkout lane open (and didn’t need more).

Plus, a big ShopRite and a big Aldi are already positioned on Rt.9 within a couple of miles.

Nick Cooper - TSM Duluth

The surprising thing is that the store was opened just three years ago in 2020. (It used to be a Best Buy, where I also shopped).

Working against the Howell location is that there’s going to be a newer one opening up Rt. 9 at the Freehold Raceway Mall (in what used to be a Bob’s Furniture store).

Credit: Google Maps

A Lidl spokesperson told APP.com:

This was an underperforming location, and we made the strategic decision to close this location so we can focus on the locations that are closer and more convenient to more of our customers and where we are seeing significant growth.

No opening date for the Freehold store has been announced.

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Source: This time, Lidl is making news for closing a NJ store

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