FIRST ON 3: German grocery chain eyes Wilmington location

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Another grocery store chain is apparently interested in coming to Wilmington, and this one is based across the ocean.

A site plan filed this week with the City of Wilmington shows designs for a 36,000 square foot store for German-based Lidl at 1511 Eastwood Road. That’s at the corner of Cavalier Drive near Mayfaire.

The company, which has been described as a cross between Walmart and Trader Joe’s, announced earlier this year it planned to enter the US market with hopes to open stores by 2018. In July Lidl committed to create 200 jobs in Alamance County, where it plans a regional headquarters and distribution center in exchange for more than $3 million in incentives.

The Eastwood Road site has been targeted for a grocery store for some time, and Lidl has been rumored for the site. In October Wilmington City Council approved rezoning the property from commercial to community business for a 36,000 square foot grocery store and two-story, 20,400 square foot commercial building.

A contact listed for the Lidl project told WWAY he could not comment on the plans. Other contacts have not yet responded to requests for more information.

The project is scheduled for review by the city’s Technical Review Committee Dec. 31

The Wilmington area already has locations for chains including Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Lowes Foods, Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market. Earlier this year Publix announced it would build its first store in the region in the Pine Valley area of Wilmington set to open in late 2016.