ALDI, Smart And Final Extra Heading To South Temecula

TEMECULA, CA — Two new grocery giants are heading to South Temecula, the city of Temecula confirmed this week.

The German supermarket chain ALDI is retrofitting its latest location in South Temecula, at 32130 Temecula Parkway, in the former Bassett Furniture building in the Villages @ Paseo Del Sol shopping center.

A Smart & Final Extra is slated to take up residence inside the former Best Buy building, located at 32937 Temecula Parkway, inside the Butterfield Station shopping center. That store is slated to open sometime in 2024, according to a Smart & Final Extra spokesperson.

No exact grand opening dates were shared. However, work is underway inside the former Baseett building.

"We are excited to confirm we are planning to open a store in Temecula," Tom Cindel, ALDI Group Moreno Valley Divisional Vice President, said.

The Bassett Furniture store permanently closed earlier this year, though it didn't stay empty long. Now, the sign is down, and the building is buzzing with the sound of power tools, making space for the ALDI store's layout.

Over the past decade, over 1,000 new ALDI stores have opened throughout America, including recent openings in Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, and Temecula's Rancho California Road location.

"Customers nationwide have become loyal fans of the company's fast and affordable shopping experience," according to the group.

When it opens, the ALDI store will offer fresh, organic produce delivered daily, an unmatched selection of cheese and wine, food for every taste and lifestyle (gluten-free, plant-based, whatever you need), and convenient access to curbside pickup and grocery delivery options.

"Our stores are designed to make grocery shopping smarter, faster, and easier, and we've been voted the price leader for six years running," said Cindel. "We're excited to open our first ALDI store in Murrieta and introduce local customers to a new, more affordable way of shopping."

ALDI and Smart & Final Extra are arriving later this year in South Temecula, Betsy Lowrey, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Temecula, confirmed to Patch.

Smart & Final Extra will open inside the former Best Buy store.

Best Buy closed up shop in March of 2023, and since then, residents have speculated on what will fill the vast space vacated by the electronics store.

Smart & Final is one of the oldest and longest continuously operating food retailers in the United States and operates more than 250 stores in California, Arizona, and Nevada, with additional stores in Northern Mexico operated through a joint venture.

Both Smart & Final Extra and ALDI will be a welcome addition to south Temecula, according to the city.

"Each store offers a different approach/style with varying product types and grocery selections and will begin to help meet the ever-growing demand on the City's south side," Lowrey said. "The food and retail market is very strong along Temecula Parkway, and we could use these two and even more-we believe both stores will do well and complement existing businesses in the area."