Aldi announced it was closing its grocery store at the corner of Penn and Lowry Avenues in North Minneapolis on Sunday. The loss makes even more apparent what many call a food desert in that part of the Twin Cities, with only two grocery stores left in that part of the city.
“Losing one–especially one with affordable fruits and vegetables–is a huge loss,” said Minneapolis City Councilmember LaTrisha Vetaw, who represents Ward 4.
North Market is one option that still exists, while Cub Foods has a store nearby as well.
“It’s nice that there are other options, but I don’t see them as options for the people that live in North Minneapolis,” said Vetaw on Tuesday.
The Aldi location was also central to many transit routes, which Vetaw said made it easier for people in the community to access.
“On a nice day, you see people walking from (Aldi),” she said. “Definitely, you see a lot of people on the bus going to that grocery store.”
Aldi still has three other stores in the city.