Lidl Grocery Store Opening In Park Slope: What We Know

PARK SLOPE, NY — A long-promised Lidl will likely have a grand opening this year, developers said.

Lidl, the European grocery giant that has expanded in the United States over the last few years, is set to open the Park Slope outpost at 120 Fifth Avenue. The location, a former Key Foods, is currently under development, according to developers.

While details on the construction timeline are sparse, a Lidl spokesperson shared with Patch on Tuesday that the company is hoping to share a grand opening date later this year.

"The project’s construction team is committed to conducting work on the site in a manner that is responsible and respectful of the community while working to complete this project as expeditiously as possible and deliver the new supermarket and affordable housing units starting late 2024/early 2025," developers behind the project said.

Plans to revitalize Key Foods have been in the works since 2015 when neighbors and developers discussed the neighborhood's need for affordable housing and groceries.

After lengthy debates, a coalition of local groups known as the Community Stakeholder Group reached an agreement with the site's owners to add a low-cost supermarket and around 45 income-restricted units to the project.

Last summer, news also broke that a Wells Fargo branch and a CVS pharmacy would also be joining the grocery store in the planned development.

Jay Marcus, a non-profit director designated as the stakeholder group's spokesperson, previously stated that bringing Lidl to the Park Slope site is a "win-win-win" for developers, the grocer and neighbors.

The Key Food, located near Baltic Street and Sterling Place, was officially closed in 2021, causing frustration among residents who say that they lost a convenient grocery within walking distance.

Lidl, a global discount supermarket chain, was founded in 1973 and now operates over 11,000 stores across Europe and the United States, making it one of the largest retailers in the world.

In January, it was announced that a new massive Lidl is slated to open in 2025 in Downtown Brooklyn, near Bond Street, at a property that currently houses an Express Factory Outlet, Chase Bank and Burlington.

Another location is also slated to open in Crown Heights by the end of 2024 on Bedford Avenue, between Sullivan Place and Empire Boulevard.

Lidl is noted for its no-frills approach to retailing, with a small variety of private-label products at affordable rates. The company focuses on efficiency and cost-saving measures to provide customers with high-quality goods at affordable prices.

In recent years, the grocery chain has expanded aggressively into new markets, including the United States, where it opened its first stores in 2017.