The nation’s newest grocery store chain is coming to Clayton.
The Clayton Planning Board has approved a request by Lidl to construct a grocery store at 12856 US 70 Business, across from Wal-Mart and between the Hardee’s restaurant and McLaurin Funeral Home.
The 3.8 acre site is owned by Grand Plaza LLC and includes the lot that formerly housed the Camptown RV dealership.
Lidl was started in 1973. Today they operate over 10,000 stores in 27 countries throughout Europe. The company entered the United States grocery store market on June 15, when its first 10 stores opened in North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina.
Lidl plans to open up to 100 East Coast stores by next summer.
About 90 percent of products on Lidl shelves are store-brand – similar to Trader Joe’s – and the company focuses aggressively on low prices – similar to Aldi. According to the press release, the company promises fresh baked goods, organic and gluten free options, and prices “up to 50 percent less than other supermarkets in the United States.”
Construction plans call for a 36,000-square-foot building and 168 parking spaces.
To ensure the store looks attractive from the rest of the Grand Plaza Shopping Center, the Planning Board will require Lidl to add brick to the northwest corner of the building as a condition of approval.
Drivers will access the site from the entrance to Grand Plaza located at the stop light at U.S. 70 Business and Town Centre Boulevard. To accommodate traffic leaving the grocery store, Lidl will build a left turn lane onto US 70 Business from the shopping center.
Planning Board Chairman Frank Price said, “This really brings (the property) back to what it was thought to be 10-12 years ago, shortly after it was announced that Wal-Mart was going in across 70.”
