Del Ray Giant Store Likely Closing Date: Sept. 2

The Giant store at 425 E. Monroe Avenue will likely close on or about Wednesday, Sept. 2, according to employees at the store.

The store closing is pegged to the opening of the new Potomac Yard store, employees say. Many of them will be working at the new store.

The new store is part of a new apartment building, Notch 8, which is currently leasing apartments that will begin move-ins on Aug. 5, a spokesman for the company said. The new store will be located in the development, at 2900 Main Line Blvd.

For the record, Giant has not disclosed the official opening date for the new store or the closing date for the old store.

“At this time, the new Potomac Yard Giant is on schedule to open late summer or early fall of this year,” Jamie Miller, a spokesman for Giant, said Thursday.

Del Ray residents will be getting a new ALDI grocery store to replace its Giant store.

Also read:

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Aldi, which has plans to open a store at Seminary Plaza and a Duke Street location formerly occupied by Mango Mike’s, has filed papers with the City showing plans to operate at 425 E. Monroe Ave., the location of the current Giant.

The Giant store in Old Town closed in February after 64 years and the Giant at Bradlee closed in the summer of 2013. Jamie Miller said Friday that Giant has made no decision yet on whether to remain at First Street, where it closed its oldest store but still has a lease.

The Bradlee Giant store was replaced with a Fresh Market.

The ALDI grocery chain store is known for offering discounts. Most (90 percent) of the brands in the store are ALDI brands. Another way it keeps costs down is by not accepting credit cards; the grocery store explains that by not accepting them, the store does not pass along the fees to customers.

Another no-frills experience that keeps costs down: You’ll bag your own groceries and pay a quarter to “rent” a shopping cart (you’ll get your quarter back when you return the cart) — more savings for customers since the store doesn’t have to pay anyone to go hunt down shopping carts in the parking lot.

You’ll also see cost savings by bringing your own shopping bag (if you don’t bring your own, they’ll charge you for their long-lasting bags).

ALDI has its roots in Germany (ALDI is short for Albrecht Discount). In Germany, almost 90 percent of Germans shop there, according to an article in Slate.

The store has about a dozen locations in Northern Virginia. The Chantilly store that opened two years ago has no frills: No music, no bank and no pharmacy. (Read Yelp reviews of the Chantilly store here.)

“We keep a close eye on our competition. If you want to get a basket of goods for $50 at a traditional grocery store, that same basket of goods will be 30-50 percent higher than at ALDI,” Jeff Baehr, Frederick Division vice president for ALDI, said at that store’s ribbon cutting.

The Del Ray store hours, according to paperwork filed with the city will be:

• Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Saturdays: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Sundays: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

There may or may not be wine and beer sold at the Del Ray store — the company decides to offer that option depending on the difficulty of securing permits.