Amie Landrus of Ooltewah describes herself as an "Aldi addict."
"Aldi customers like the feeling - a small-town market feel," she said Wednesday morning in Ooltewah while waiting for the opening of a new store by the grocer. "You can share ideas and tips. It's a community atmosphere. Prices are unbelievable."
Aldi shoppers started standing in line outside the Lee Highway store at about 4:30 a.m., according to an Aldi spokeswoman. About 200 people were waiting to get inside by the time the store opened at 9 a.m.
The store is the latest entry by Aldi into the Chattanooga area market that has seen a flurry of new activity in the grocery arena over the past year or so. Food City bought the 29 Bi-Lo stores in the area and plans to spend between $40 million to $50 million on the units over a three-year period.
Also, Wal-Mart continues to expand its presence in the market and opened about a half dozen of its Neighborhood Markets in the region. In addition, Houchens Industries of Bowling Green, Ky., has announced plans to open at least three smaller grocery stores in the Chattanooga area.
The latest Aldi store in the area - the company has more than a half dozen in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia - is part of the $10 million, White Oak Crossing shopping center going up known as White Oak Crossing.
Carly Barber of Aldi said the store offers a new, larger layout for the company in the area with about 18,000 square feet. She said that gives the store space to hold an enhanced produce area. Other improvements include high ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally friendly building materials.
The store, which will have about 14 employees, may not be the last in the Chattanooga market for Aldi.
"We're always looking," Barber said, adding that putting up new stores can take time.
Ed Neufeld of Ooltewah said he likes to shop at Aldi because "the quality is acceptable and the price is tremendous."
He said he'd been going to other Aldi stores in the area, noting he was holding a store-branded bag. But, Neufeld said, he's glad to see the Ooltewah site that's about a half mile from Interstate 75 near Cambridge Square.
Kellie Dean, also of Ooltewah, said she was hoping to be one of the first 100 customers as they received a "golden ticket" that contained Aldi gift cards of varying amounts.
She, too, cited store prices, particularly mentioning produce, eggs, and milk.
Aldi operates nearly 1,600 stores in the United States in 34 states. Over the next several years, Aldi plans to add an average of 130 stores annually, according to the company.
Contact Mike Pare at mpare@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6318.