[caption id="attachment_172127" align="aligncenter" width="3500"] The Dover location for Lidl will open Feb. 5 with giveaways. | PHOTO COURTESY OF LIDL[/caption]

DOVER "“ Lidl, a German-based discount grocery store making its push into the American market, will open its second Delaware store off U.S. 13 on Feb. 5, officials announced.

The roughly 25,000-square-foot store, located at 150 N. DuPont Highway, is the chain's first opening in the state since it opened its Middletown location in 2017.

A 7:40 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 5 will precede a weekend of special offers, giveaways and prizes for shoppers, according to officials. The store will operate from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

"With incredible quality and low everyday prices, Lidl always means a good deal," Dover Store Manager Ryan Garcia said in a statement announcing the grand opening. "We look forward to expanding the Lidl brand in Delaware and giving the community an award-winning grocery store that will be an easy choice for shoppers in Dover."

The chain will continue to make its push in the regional market with a location in Bear off U.S. 40, which is currently in the final New Castle County project review phases.

While well-known in Europe for its competitive prices, no-frills approach and diverse, non-food offerings, Lidl is still trying to gain a foothold in America. It follows in the footsteps of its main German competitor Aldi, which came to the U.S. more than 40 years ago and now counts nearly 1,900 stores "“ its parent company also owns the popular Trader Joe's brand, which adds more than 500 stores of its own. Aldi currently operates five stores in Delaware.

Lidl arrived stateside in 2015 with plans to open 100 stores by the end of 2017 served by several distribution centers focused on the East Coast. Those plans stalled, however, after some early stumbles.

It learned that its stores were too big and too far flung from population centers, according to analysts, and began planning smaller stores closer to population centers. The private company with 10,500 stores worldwide also shook up its American leadership in 2018, bringing in Johannes Fieber as president and CEO.

As of January, Lidl operates more than 85 stores in nine East Coast states, according to officials.

By Jacob Owens

jowens@delawarebusinesstimes.com