Lidl Opening In Reisterstown: Councilman

REISTERSTOWN, MD — German grocer Lidl is coming to a shopping center in Reisterstown.

The business signed a contract with the owner of the Reisterstown Shopping Center, according to Councilman Izzy Patoka, whose district includes Reisterstown.

"I am optimistic this store will boost nearby properties in the older shopping center, which Greenberg Gibbons is in the process of renovating," Patoka said in a statement. "Lidl will fill an empty space, employ residents and provide a much-needed grocery store in the heart of Reisterstown."

Other tenants slated to open at Reisterstown Shopping Center are Chipotle, Starbucks and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Patoka said these businesses are expected to come online by 2021.

In addition, the old Burger King and Hibachi Grill buildings will be razed by the end of February, Patoka said.

Lidl (which rhymes with needle) is a grocery store filled with curated products deemed to be the best quality and price. It sells various organic and gluten-free items, from vegetables to meat to dairy and more. About 90 percent of products are Lidl's own label, for which it conducts rigorous quality control testing. Non-food items — like fitness gear, small kitchen appliances, toys and outdoor furniture — will be offered for a limited time on a rotating basis.

The business first opened in 1973 south of Frankfurt, Germany, and has been expanding into the United States in recent years, competing with fellow German grocer Aldi. In 2015, Lidl opened its U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

Lidl's goal is to have 100 U.S. stores open by the end of 2020, from Georgia to New York.

It opened its first stores in Baltimore County in January in Perry Hall and Catonsville.