FORT PIERCE — After months without a grocery store anchor, shoppers and workers at the Indrio Crossings Shopping Center on North Kings Highway are looking forward to the arrival of Aldi, which is replacing the former Winn-Dixie.
While an official opening date has not been announced, many residents say the return of a grocery store is badly needed in an area that serves the surrounding neighborhoods of Lakewood Park, Fort Pierce and Vero Beach.
“We need to have a grocery store locally,” said Donna Saucier of Fort Pierce. “There are about five surrounding villages here and thousands of people. We have to go all the way to Vero Beach for Publix.”
Like many shoppers, Saucier is eager to see the store open but expects the project could take several more months to complete.
The former Winn-Dixie closed after parent company Southeastern Grocers sold hundreds of stores to Aldi as part of a nationwide acquisition. Many former Winn-Dixie locations across Florida are being converted into Aldi stores, while others have closed permanently.
For employees working in the plaza, the absence of a grocery store has affected customer traffic and convenience.
Brylee B., who works in the shopping center, said she frequently shopped at Winn-Dixie before it closed.
“I liked it because I thought it was cheaper,” she said. “But, I’ve been hearing things about Aldi, so I’m kind of excited for it.”
She said the lack of a nearby grocery store has been a challenge.
“It was the only grocery store around here,” Brylee said. “It’s been very, very inconvenient.”
Not everyone is enthusiastic about the change.
Robin S. of Lakewood Park said she preferred Winn-Dixie’s selection and expressed concerns about Aldi’s product offerings after shopping at the recently opened Vero Beach location on Oslo.
“I’m not really excited about Aldi coming in,” she said. “I’ll have to get used to it.”
Robin also said she hopes the new store creates opportunities for local workers who may have lost employment when Winn-Dixie closed.
“It did hurt the community with the loss of jobs,” she said. “Hopefully, they hire from within the community.”
Others expressed similar concerns.
Niles Shanaberger of Fort Pierce said residents had become accustomed to having Winn-Dixie nearby and are still waiting for information about Aldi’s opening.
“The loss of jobs — are they going to be able to get those jobs here?” Shanaberger said. “That’s certainly a concern.”
Several shoppers said they will miss specific features of Winn-Dixie, including its meat department and weekly promotions.
Miranda S. of Fort Pierce said she shops at Aldi occasionally but still regrets losing the neighborhood Winn-Dixie.
“How do you not miss Winn-Dixie?” she asked enthusiastically. “They have great deals all the time. I love their bakery.”
Despite her preference for Winn-Dixie, Miranda believes Indrio Crossings will continue to attract shoppers and could see additional traffic if other businesses move into vacant storefronts.
Carol S. of Vero Beach echoed those sentiments.
“I really liked Winn-Dixie,” she said. “The prices were good, the selection was good and I liked their produce and meat.”
As construction continues inside the former supermarket, nearby residents are watching closely and waiting for the day when grocery carts once again roll through the plaza’s parking lot.
No word yet from Aldi on the official opening date. Construction workers we talked with this week were tight-lipped.