Groundbreakings for new grocery stores typically don't make news. So why does this one in St. Paul?
Because it's another sign of downtown St. Paul's comeback, says President of the St. Paul Downtown Alliance Joe Spencer.
"It's essential as we hope to grow the number of people who work and live in downtown St. Paul, and just grow the density of downtown," Spencer says. "You just need to have groceries available. It's just a fundamental thing."
The new Aldi will fill the old Lund's and Byerly's space, which closed last year due to staffing issues and pandemic-related struggles as more downtown employees shifted to remote work.
Spencer says it also signifies something bigger.
"One of the critical things about downtowns everywhere and it's especially true of downtown St. Paul is that downtown has to be owned by everybody, right? This isn't a place just for the people who who live here, or just for the people who work here, or have businesses here," Spencer adds. "This is a place for the whole region."
Aldi follows the recent acquisitions of some vacant buildings as city leaders work to bring back downtown's vibrancy.
Spencer says while plenty of challenges remain, things are moving in the right direction.
"Big real estate projects are slow moving, and so it's not going to be necessarily that people will feel the difference by June 1st," Spencer explains. "But I think here in the coming months, you're going to see this transformation start to unfold."
Aldi is expected to open by the end of summer on 10th Street East near downtown St. Paul's Pedro Park.
