Lidl Perry Hall Aims For January Opening

PERRY HALL, MD — The Silver Spring Shopping Center is poised to welcome its newest tenant. German-based grocer Lidl will fill the spot left by the Mars supermarket.

"Plans call for an opening in January," Councilman David Marks reported this week.

A spokesperson for Lidl told Perry Hall Patch Thursday that a grand opening date has not yet been announced but will be soon.

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 new Lidl will employ 30 people, according to Marks, whose office was in contact with Lidl and worked to fill the vacant space by extending the Perry Hall commercial district to attract new tenants.

"I am hoping this store boosts nearby properties in this older shopping center," Marks said. Other tenants at the shopping center on Belair Road include Perry Hall Liquors, Pizza Hut and Sherwin-Williams, among others.

Related:

• Council To Pass Legislation Spurring New Tenant at Mars Supermarket Site
• Councilman Marks: Extend Revitalization District to Redevelop Mars Site
• 8 Mars Grocery Stores Closing With 800 Losing Jobs, 5 Locations to Become Weis Markets

Lidl 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. It opened up a U.S. headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, in 2015.

Other Maryland stores are in Aberdeen, Bowie, College Park, District Heights, Hagerstown and Waldorf.

Currently, Lidl operates more than 11,000 stores and is in 32 countries.

As part of its goal to open 25 new East Coast stores by the end of next year, Lidl plans to open new stores in Catonsville, Columbia and Lanham.

The Lidl in Perry Hall will be the first Lidl in Baltimore County to open, according to KLNB Retail, the property manager for the Silver Spring Shopping Center.