Come January, there’ll be no “Beef People” in Westlake.
Aldi, the German-based international grocery giant, completed its purchase of the Winn-Dixie supermarket chain earlier this year. More than 400 stores across Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi were involved, with Aldi saying some of the stores would be converted to reflect the smaller, no-frills ethos of the parent company.
On Nov. 19, Aldi announced that the Winn-Dixie located at 5060 Seminole Pratt Whitney Road in the Grove Marketplace shopping center will be among the stores converted to an Aldi. The transition is expected to take several months.
Winn-Dixie reopened in the Grove Marketplace in 2022 after being closed for a decade, anchoring a new resurgence for the aging plaza.
“It’s market conditions,” Westlake City Manager Kenneth Cassel said about Aldi’s decision. “Businesses change.”
Cassel noted that the Aldi will be smaller than the Winn-Dixie supermarket and liquor store, which currently occupy some 52,000 square feet.
“There will room for a retail bay on either side,” he said, adding that he expects Aldi to have a site plan ready for approval at the Westlake City Council’s Dec. 10 regular meeting.
“I think Aldi will be a great addition to the area,” Mayor JohnPaul O’Connor said this week. “With the space being divided, I’m particularly curious to see who they plan to lease or sell the remaining space to… It will be interesting to see how that evolves and what it will bring to the community.”
And while O’Connor said he welcomes Aldi to the community, he also said he believes there is room for a more upscale supermarket, such as Whole Foods.
A Publix already is located in Westlake at 16841 Persimmon Blvd., directly across the street from the Grove Marketplace.
Since the 1920s, Winn-Dixie’s forerunner has used the slogan “The Beef People,” but that will be no more, as Aldi stories do not have a meat counter. They also do not offer a pharmacy, bakery, deli or liquor store. The company emphasizes keeping prices low through smaller stores, plain décor, fewer name brands and more house brands. Usually there are surprise “Aldi Finds” items that are not commonly available in other supermarkets.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables are stocked daily, according to the Aldi web site, but shoppers must bag their own groceries in leftover boxes or in bags they bring themselves. Customers pay 25 cents for the use of a cart, but that is returned when the cart is returned.
Aldi’s purchase of Winn-Dixie came as a package deal with the Harveys Supermarket chain, both of which were owned by Southeastern Grocers. Three other Winn-Dixies in South Florida are being converted to Aldi — one each in Boynton Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Aventura.
An Aldi already is located in Loxahatchee Groves at the northeast corner of the intersection of Southern Blvd. and B Road. There is also one on State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach, in front of an industrial complex that houses Aldi’s regional distribution warehouse.
The physical downsizing of some Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores to Aldi, which includes the elimination of some departments, has many current employees concerned.
“Aldi is committed to doing its best to minimize the impact and provide support and opportunities to associates at converting stores, including the option to remain with Winn-Dixie and transfer to a neighboring store,” the company said. “Associates at these locations have the opportunity to be the first to apply to newly converted Aldi stores.”
Aldi is a family-owned business split between Aldi Nord (North) and Aldi Sud (South). Combined Aldi owns more than 13,000 locations under various names across Europe, China, Australia and the United States, including Trader Joe’s, which it acquired in 1979.
William Davis founded Winn-Dixie’s precursor in Miami in 1925. By 1931, the company was known as Table Supply, and it had 33 stores across Florida. In 1939, Davis’ sons, who were by then running the business, purchased the Winn & Lovette chain of 78 stores. When they acquired the Dixie Home Stores’ 116 locations in 1955, the chain became Winn-Dixie.
In 2012, Winn-Dixie became a subsidiary of Bi-Lo Holdings, ending 67 years of Davis family ownership. Bi-Lo Holdings was later renamed Southeastern Grocers.
