5 Aldi stores opening in region over next week

Fast-growing grocer Aldi is holding a trio of grand opening events around the region Friday, at stores that used to house Winn-Dixie supermarkets in North Fort Myers, Port Charlotte and Venice. In addition, two more Winn-Dixie-turned-Aldi stores are set to open next week.

Ribbon-cuttings, according to a statement, are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 11 at 5690 Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers and at 1254 Jacaranda Blvd. in Venice. A third is set for 8:45 a.m. on Dec. 11 at 2000 Kings Highway in Port Charlotte. The first 100 customers at each location will be eligible to win goodies including a free Aldi tote and golden ticket that could be worth up to $100.

The new openings have been years in the making. Aldi announced its plans to acquire Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket in 2023 as part of parent company Southeastern Grocers' divestiture plans. The acquisition included about 400 Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. The deal closed in 2024, at which point Aldi said it planned to open 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028 through a combination of new stores and conversions.

In February 2025, a consortium of private investors acquired Southeastern Grocers, including its Winn-Dixie and Harveys banners, from Aldi. While 170 Winn-Dixie and Harveys grocery stores in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida were part of the acquisition, Aldi was still moving forward with plans to convert 220 Winn-Dixie and Harveys stores to Aldi formats between March 2024 and 2027, according to a statement.

The new Aldi store openings in the region will continue next week, with two ribbon-cuttings planned in the Sarasota-Manatee area: 8:45 a.m. on Dec. 18 at 5805 Manatee Ave. W. in Bradenton and at 5400 Fruitville Road in Sarasota.