Lidl Begins Work To Transform Former Best Buy In Howell

HOWELL, NJ — German grocery store chain Lidl has begun work at the former Best Buy site in Howell, the company confirmed by email Wednesday.

Work that started in recent days has been getting the attention of Howell residents, prompting questions about what was happening with the site.

Lidl purchased the 30,000-square-foot Best Buy store at 4250 Route 9 in May from Paramount Realty, Maurice Zekaria, one of the Paramount princpals, confirmed at the time. That followed an initial flurry of publicity after the Lidl logo appeared on a map of the property on the Paramount website in January.

Lidl declined to comment both times, with its spokespeople saying they do not comment on individual sites except to announce grand openings.

On Wednesday, the company confirmed its work has begun.

"We look forward to serving the Howell community in the future and I can confirm that preliminary site work has begun on the store," Chandler Ebeier of the Lidl US public relations department said.

He did not have a tentative opening date for the store.

"It is too early to forecast a specific timeframe for grand opening but over the coming months, I will reach out to you as we have more to share," he said.

Lidl has been expanding its reach in New Jersey in recent months. The German discount grocer opened stores in Eatontown, Union, and in Hazlet, NJ.com reported, and a Lacey Township store is in the midst of construction.

Best Buy closed in November as the company decided not to renew the lease at the site.

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