JEFFERSON COUNTY, FL (WTXL) — Aldi's opened its first Monticello store Thursday at 1245 South Jefferson Street, taking over the former Winn-Dixie location and bringing fresh food options back to the community.
WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW:
The parking lot on South Jefferson Street filled quickly as shoppers turned out for the grand opening.
The opening comes about a year after neighbors raised concerns about losing Winn-Dixie and what the transition could mean for food access. Shoppers said they are excited to have another place to buy fresh food and are hopeful lower prices will help their budgets.
Joshua Moore, a Monticello resident, said:
"I'm excited. I'm ready to see the change in prices. I hear it's a lot better than Winn-Dixie."
Resident Tyler Walton said:
"It brings a lot more healthier food options to the town. Since Winn-Dixie left, it was a little bit hard to get groceries, kind of put us through a rough patch, so maybe now it'll be a bit easier."
Other neighbors say the opening is especially important after the community went through a period with fewer grocery options.
Heather Moore, regional vice president for ALDI, said:
"At our new Monticello ALDI store, shoppers will notice a smaller, easy-to-shop store layout filled with a carefully selected range of products to provide them with exactly what they need. As more people look for better ways to stretch their dollar further, we're excited to bring quality groceries at the lowest possible prices to Monticello."
The new store features a quarter cart system, a smaller store format with a curated product selection, and self-bagging at checkout. Nearly 90% of items on ALDI shelves are exclusive brands. The store also offers grocery delivery and curbside pickup options through shop.aldi.us.
ALDI is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at 1245 South Jefferson Street in Monticello.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
