NORTH BRUNSWICK – German discount grocer Lidl announced it will open a store next year in the North Brunswick Shopping Center, a long-awaited replacement to the former A&P that shuttered here in 2015 following bankruptcy.

Construction is underway to subdivide the former A&P location, providing Lidl with more than 26,000 square feet of retail space.

“I know this welcoming news to many in our community, particularly our senior citizens who live in close proximity to the shopping center and have missed the opportunity to walk to a local grocery store,” Mayor Francis “Mac” Womack said in a release.

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Lidl has more than 10,000 stores in 29 countries and is similar to counterpart Aldi, providing “high quality and low prices,” according to its website. Three Lidl stores operate in New Jersey, including one in Union Township and two at the Jersey Shore. The North Brunswick store is part of a statewide expansion, the chain said.

Like Aldi, Lidl products are almost entirely a private brand and customers provide their own shopping bags.

“We are grateful to our partners at Levin Management who have long shared our interest in attracting a new grocery store to the shopping center and successfully negotiated this lease,” township Community Development Director Michael Hritz said in the release. “Lidl is a welcome new anchor for the shopping center and will certainly be welcomed by the local community.”

In addition to high quality at low prices, Lidl says it is known for hassle-free shopping that gets customers in and out, as well as a product assortment and store layout that are refreshingly simple, yet full of surprises to discover at every visit. Not your cookie-cutter grocery store, the chain focuses on selection, efficiency, international finds and favorites, and minimum overhead costs.

"You’ll notice while shopping at Lidl that most of our assortment is our own private label," the chain reports, "around 90 percent of our products, in fact. This means we’ve especially developed these products to match our high standards and allows us direct oversight of product integrity. Each product undergoes a rigorous testing regimen, which includes taste, quality and sensory testing.

"We’re more than just food. We aim to surprise and delight our customers with a diversified product assortment that changes twice a week," Lidl's promotional material continues. "You’ll find anything from essentials for the home, such as small appliances or kitchen gadgets, to stylish gear for the whole family, to toys and power tools, to home décor and gardening supplies, and much more."

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In 1973, the first modern Lidl store opened in Ludwigshafen, 25 miles south of Frankfurt. Employing three people and offering about 500 products, the small store was to become the foundation of Lidl’s far-reaching expansion. During the 1990s, the chain started branching outside of Germany and within a few years, expanded across Europe.

Bob Makin has won 11 New Jersey Press Association Awards and four Best of Gannett Awards. A news veteran of nearly 40 years, Makin covers business and entertainment. Contact him at 732-565-7319 and bmakin@gannett.com.