Aldi's to open new store in Hammond

http://www.post-trib.com/business/1411728,aldi.article
Aldi's announced it is closing it's Highland store and moving to a higher visibility location across the street from Cabela's. It's great to see new developement being attracted by Cabela's.

Or, the one in Lansing...fit's the image of Lansing. Or, the one in Orland, that fits the image of Orland. What are we? Chopped Liver? They do offer some good, imported food now, but right now I am concerned about a store in Hammond with open bags of french fries laying around in their cooler, blaming it on customers, only to bring out a fresh bag with slits on the bag. I notified the health department. (They are located near the Family Dollar and I just went there ONCE, and they try to mimic Petey's in Hammond). Clearly, with no customers in the store, it was obvious with the customer service for the first time I ever entered, they didn't even clean up the broken 5 lb. bags of fries (which I normallly never buy fries, but it was Super Bowl), and they could only say, "We will send it back to MOO and OINK!" Forgive me, but I knew MOO & OINK from the '70s on the southside, and they would have been shut down back then, had I known any better.

There are worse stores everywhere...just make sure you look at the "BEST USED BY" date, then call the health department in the county you live in. Aldies' pays good pay for their three or less workers at best on any given day. The registers are for "show". I pick up the canned goods and leave. I wouldn't buy anything unless it came out of a can at any of them. I've observed people putting eggs on a dry shelf, changing their minds, and it sat there until the next visit. It's a health thing, that I worry about.

Aldie's has the worse service, seven check-out counters but only one open or two if you are lucky, which is a turn-off for most people.

They're good for certain stuff, and that's it. Their customer service is lousy. I don't have time to sit in line with a few things, while they welfare recipient charges 100 of groceries, and asks for 145.00 back. I hate that system. How do they get that kind of money?

I love the Aldi's in Crown Point and I shop there every week for certain things.

I don't expect any customer service when I shop Aldi's. That is why they can keep their prices so low. If you want customer service you need to go to Jewel, Stracks or Wiseway and even then you aren't going to get much for the higher prices you will be paying.

markh wrote:

The Aldi next to Ultra in Highland is among the worst Aldis I have ever seen, FAR worse in fact than the one at 165th and Columbia in Hammond. It's small, dirty, and the food quality is IMO suspect. It's as if that store gets the rejects from the other Aldis in the area.

I hope the powers-that-be in Hammond put some pressure on Aldi to make the new store up to the standard of the store they recently opened in Crown Point...

Aldi's had slated the Highland store for a complete interior demolition several years ago. They had bought out the Dollar store next to the Highland store so they would have sufficient space. However, Ultra had a clause in their lease which prevented Aldi's from expanding. The store has been in limbo since then.The company didn't want to invest money into a location that didn't have the space they needed. I agree that it is a horrible store.
I've worked on a few of the next generation stores for Aldi and they are nice. This one will be nice inside also. Hammond doesn't have any kind of facade laws on the books that allow it to specify what kind of material or design must be used. Some of the suburbs of Chicago do. The Aldi's in Frankfort is a sharp looking store because they had to design the outside to conform to Frankfort's requirements.

Sparks, you spooked my interests when you stated Hammond has no kind of facade laws on the books. It makes me so angry to read that is now the reason why any business can open up and slap signs on their buildings, especially the Mexican stores. The Chinese place where the prices are great but the outside was obviously a former gas station on 175th. We've had three places that went out of business on the corner of 173rd & Columbia, and I predicted they would. The site of the slapped-on sign diminishes the neighborhood.

I want to know what it takes to get the city to deny any permits to open up a business with certain facade restrictions, and come to bear in mind, next to the Chinese Cleaners, "Young Cleaner" there is a retail shop, that had their merchandise sitting out in the rain last fall, all day, then expect people to patronize? I've donated stuff there, but since learned that a new owner took over, and it is rarely open.

Are there not any laws restricting them from putting merchandise out in the rain all day on one rare day they are open? Plus another place on 169th, a retail shop puts his crap outside everyday, used school desks that no one in their right mind would buy....it clutters the neighborhood.

Getting back to the real topic, why does Hammond allow these store fronts to slap on Mexican signs, degrade the place, and meat sitting inside their meat counters that clearly are exposed to air too long to look healthy enough to eat? Where is the code enforcement? Where is the health department? Where are the laws when applying to open a business that requires you to present a "presentable business" that doesn't add clutter to the neighborhood or invite the gang-bangers? Who's in charge of this?

You see cop cars everywhere but where they are needed. But I blame the city for not requiring the potential business owners to abide by a certain rule of thumb, not to slap signs on the outside, make it looking like we live in Mexico, instead of the USA. There needs to be a facade program in place. Too many places go out of businesses, slapping signs for attention, not knowing better that it actually detriments those that may consider stopping in to patronize the place. You know where the school kids go? To a gas station for their sweets, what not.

Meanwhile, over the years, I've seen many businesses relocating in the bundle of buildings on 173rd & Columbia, only to shut down and go out of business. Knock the freaking place down, and wait for a good investor. It just disgusting that Hammond would allow any business a permit to operate without some sanctions involved to enforce the place to look like it blends in with the neighborhood.

The Senior Citizen place is gorgeous. The stores across the street, well, if I was a senior, and knew what I know...I wouldn't patronize them. I would tell you that the stuff is double the price, the owners are foreign, and the slap-sign, happy foreignors, are so eager to get whatever they can for double the price of off-brands that you would pay down the street at Aldie's on Columbia Ave.

We need better facade requirements. If you want to open a business in a former failured place, "HERE IS WHAT IS REQUIRED". Once that ordinance is in place, you won't have the gang-bangers or the foreign people desperate to steal out of your wallets for any reason. My opinion. Now I have my thumb on the problem...no facade laws in Hammonds, is what is wrong.

My concern over this is that Aldi is not exactly the type of high end retailer that we are supposed to be attracting to that area. I kinda feel like we were sold out for a few tax dollars, and that's assuming we aren't actually giving up a lot of tax incentives to them to relocate.

Mirage wrote:

My concern over this is that Aldi is not exactly the type of high end retailer that we are supposed to be attracting to that area. I kinda feel like we were sold out for a few tax dollars, and that's assuming we aren't actually giving up a lot of tax incentives to them to relocate.

I believe that the property that they are relocating is the old K-Mart property. The last thing I heard was that no incentives were granted for that property. Aldi's doesn't typically ask for tax breaks either. With the amount of vacant retail space nationwide right now, I think it is awesome that Hammond is attracting new developement and tax dollars. The two stores Aldi already has in Hammond are assets to the community,IMO.

Mirage wrote:

My concern over this is that Aldi is not exactly the type of high end retailer that we are supposed to be attracting to that area. I kinda feel like we were sold out for a few tax dollars, and that's assuming we aren't actually giving up a lot of tax incentives to them to relocate.

High end retailers are cutting back just like everyone else. Hammond is lucky that there was a restrictive clause that's forcing them to relocate. I hate those clauses and many big box stores have them. In most cases stores sit empty as a result.

Mirage, Aldies started out in Orland where people were embarassed that they had an Aldie's coming to their "elite" neighborhood. Aldies agreed to build a building that blended in with that neighborhood. That was a few years ago.

Then, ever since then, even looking at the Lansing project, they are similar to the Walgreen's type of new buildings. That bugs me.


When Sparks told us that there were no "facade" laws or ordinances, that explains why we have dumps in Hammond. I could open up the corner store on 173rd, remove the slapped on signs, and offer good food for seniors across the street, if that were my ambition, and not have to worry how I advertise the building. Slapped on Mexican, green, red and white turns me off. The Rib place, I predicted would go out of business, so as the "Dollar Store".

My point is, if any business would want to locate anywhere in Hammond, they should hire a professional to see what the needs are, have a plan, and upgrade the building to correspond with the new surroundings.

Now that I found out the real reason why these business people sell out-dated, slit, food spilled all over the place, and slap-happy signs is, because they are not required to present a business plan and conform to some degree how they plan to upgrade the outside of the business to harmonize with what the city of Hammond wants...living in a beautiful building...I have never witnessed any of those senior citizens going across the street to patronize those businesses. When I feel better, I plan on going there and asking them how they feel, and present it to the mayor. We need to stop this stupid Mexican crap that always ends up going out of business, selling rotted meat, and open bags of french fries, etc. Someone has to step up to the plate. An ordinace requiring these business wanna-bee's need to upgrade the facade, signs forbidden, and present their businesses as professional. Stop the clutter.

If they (Hammond) had a facade law or ordinance, I would rather see an empty building than a business that is owned by foreignors, that sell cheap crap with their stores in disarray, for double the price....and if they are serious, upgrade the facade, then they wouldn't have the money to just open up and be slap-happy-signs on the windows, inviting gangs, etc., Now I know what the problem is...I always wondered how in the hell these out-dated strip malls (one caught on fire last summer - the Rib Place), could just open up, not upgrade, not be required to make it presentable to even want to enter to buy...because of the absent of facade laws, you get what you get, and the city won't move forward.

Go on Gostlin...from Petey's left or right. The mexican stores, restaurants, etc. It's sickening. I'd rather they bulldoze the businesses down, because they eventually go out of businesses, and quit being so lax on the facade law. If you want to open a former building with a former business owner that went out of business, fix the facade, and show America, not Mexico.

One particular place that was always a Mexican restuarant changed hands four times since I left Hegewish...I only ordered there once, she jipped me out of one of four tacos, I went back, demanded the 4th taco, she calls the Hammond Cops on me. He gets done talking to her, tells me the fourth taco is being cooked, I walked out and told the cop to tell her to wipe her azz with it.

I was typing while you guys were typing. Sorry if my post appeared twice. The options were confusing to me. Sorry. It said, Save or Modify. Then the computer froze. Sorry. I'm leaving it up there because it was still being written and wasn't submitted in time before you guys posted. I don't feel right deleting it.

It still blows my mind..no facade laws or ordinances in Hammond. Now I know the real reason why buildings stayed the same.

http://www.nwi.com/articles/2009/02/05/updates/breaking_news/doc498b50d602d1c419469639.txt

specifically i believe the store is to be located at the old kmart tire store/former fireworks dealer that exploded's, building location.

Artie60438 wrote:

Mirage wrote:

My concern over this is that Aldi is not exactly the type of high end retailer that we are supposed to be attracting to that area. I kinda feel like we were sold out for a few tax dollars, and that's assuming we aren't actually giving up a lot of tax incentives to them to relocate.

High end retailers are cutting back just like everyone else. Hammond is lucky that there was a restrictive clause that's forcing them to relocate. I hate those clauses and many big box stores have them. In most cases stores sit empty as a result.

But I thought Obama's economic stimulus package was supposed to fix that magically overnight.



As I said, put another way, we are trading a focused direction for the area for immediate gains. The question is how well it will really fit into the concept for the area because I doubt it will be relocating again anytime in our lifetime. For Aldi being by the expressway exit is fantastic. But will seeing many Aldi's customers from the street make the typical Cabela's demographic less likely to want to patronize higher end stores in the vicinity? I really can't see someone who wears higher end clothing flocking to the typical Aldi and wade through a bunch of less well to do folks who don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene in crowded aisles then wait in line to bag their own goods.

Now if we've abandoned the area concept to attract the better to do folks that's all well fine and good, I guess. All I'm saying is that we can't really have it both ways too much. Might just as well turn the Kmart lot into an indoor/ outdoor flea market.

the cabelas overall sight plan is still the same. the situation here is that the slowed levy project has prevented anything else from going in to the cabela's location thus far. fortunately stage vII is finally back underway and could be completed by next year, thus jump starting the cabela's sight.

as for aldi. they are going on an out lot of what is to be the business area anchored by new general cinema property. along with aldi the state licence beureau is already lined up to be relocated on the front half of that property. there is space for at least 4 more retailers in the front (possibly many more if they are small) with the 12 theatre cinema going on the back half (where builders square used to be)

you never know with markopolis. but the hope is construction could start as soon as spring.

Mirage wrote:

As I said, put another way, we are trading a focused direction for the area for immediate gains. The question is how well it will really fit into the concept for the area because I doubt it will be relocating again anytime in our lifetime. For Aldi being by the expressway exit is fantastic. But will seeing many Aldi's customers from the street make the typical Cabela's demographic less likely to want to patronize higher end stores in the vicinity? I really can't see someone who wears higher end clothing flocking to the typical Aldi and wade through a bunch of less well to do folks who don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene in crowded aisles then wait in line to bag their own goods.

Now if we've abandoned the area concept to attract the better to do folks that's all well fine and good, I guess. All I'm saying is that we can't really have it both ways too much. Might just as well turn the Kmart lot into an indoor/ outdoor flea market.

Mirage,Aldi's is lot more mainstream than it used to be. If you don't believe me,stake out the Schererville store sometime. You'll find many late model cars in the lot.

I think the point that you're missing here is that it's a sign of new life and new construction on a site that's been dead for a long time. The fact that it will draw people there just might entice other businesses to open nearby.

Mirage wrote:

I really can't see someone who wears higher end clothing flocking to the typical Aldi and wade through a bunch of less well to do folks who don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene in crowded aisles then wait in line to bag their own goods.

Holy cow,batman,if that isn't stereotyping people,I don't know what is. It really cracks me up when you make the claim that people who shop at Aldi's don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene as if saving money automatically implies people aren't capable of washing or dressing well. One of the reasons you see Aldi's locating in places like St. John,Orland Park,Frankfort and other well to do areas is that many of the people who live there are well off because they have spent their lives making smart financial choices, which includes stretching their food dollars as much as possible.

sparks wrote:

Mirage wrote:

I really can't see someone who wears higher end clothing flocking to the typical Aldi and wade through a bunch of less well to do folks who don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene in crowded aisles then wait in line to bag their own goods.

Holy cow,batman,if that isn't stereotyping people,I don't know what is. It really cracks me up when you make the claim that people who shop at Aldi's don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene as if saving money automatically implies people aren't capable of washing or dressing well. One of the reasons you see Aldi's locating in places like St. John,Orland Park,Frankfort and other well to do areas is that many of the people who live there are well off because they have spent their lives making smart financial choices, which includes stretching their food dollars as much as possible.

So how often do you shop there?

I do shop there occasionally, so it's my personal observation. It's not a stereotype if it's a truism. I have yet to see a pair of Prada's there.

Mirage wrote:

sparks wrote:

Mirage wrote:

I really can't see someone who wears higher end clothing flocking to the typical Aldi and wade through a bunch of less well to do folks who don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene in crowded aisles then wait in line to bag their own goods.

Holy cow,batman,if that isn't stereotyping people,I don't know what is. It really cracks me up when you make the claim that people who shop at Aldi's don't care so much about their appearance or bodily hygiene as if saving money automatically implies people aren't capable of washing or dressing well. One of the reasons you see Aldi's locating in places like St. John,Orland Park,Frankfort and other well to do areas is that many of the people who live there are well off because they have spent their lives making smart financial choices, which includes stretching their food dollars as much as possible.

So how often do you shop there?

I do shop there occasionally, so it's my personal observation. It's not a stereotype if it's a truism. I have yet to see a pair of Prada's there.

I have at least a year of time spent working on Aldi's from Angola to Frankfort and beyond and I have very rarely come across people who have problems with personal hygiene. You're far more likely to come across a homeless person in downtown Chicago who has the issues you are describing than in a retail store. As far as people wearing Pradas, who really cares? If you have to spend obscene amounts of money on clothes to impress others, you have some big issues.

Mirage wrote:

I have yet to see a pair of Prada's there.

Would you know a pair of Prada's if you were to see them?
Have you ever owned anything Prada?
I have....and I have also shopped at Aldi.
I do not feel that I am better than anyone else.

Like the saying goes - "Why pay more if you don't have to?" These days many people have to stretch their dollar so Aldi's is a good place to shop for basic food items. I've never been in the Hammond store on Columbia - will have to check it out.

WhitingLib wrote:

Mirage wrote:

I have yet to see a pair of Prada's there.

Would you know a pair of Prada's if you were to see them?
Have you ever owned anything Prada?
I have....and I have also shopped at Aldi.
I do not feel that I am better than anyone else.

But have you seen anybody wearing a pair at Aldi's? I'm thinking no.

Again, the concept for that area was to be more upscale and that is what I'm directing my remarks to. Hammond has at least 2 or 3 Aldi's now, so I'm not saying that middle income folks don't shop there. What I am saying is that upper income folks will be discouraged from patronizing the area as it seems to be developing in reality, and having an Aldi front & center is not beneficial to attracting business from the upper income crowd as was billed in the Cabela's concept as I understood it. It's just a change in priorities and who you're marketing to is all.

Whether many folks know it or not there are even a few upscale McDonalds around the country but an Aldi's is an Aldi's no matter how clean.

First of all, my beef is the facade. Evey town/city/ including Orlands, made and insisted that Aldie's - if they wanted to establish their business in their neighborhoods, insisted the facade blended in with the town/city. It started with Orland Hills, or Orland.

From their, if you look at the South Holland business, the facade reflects the "HOLLAND" atmosphere.

If you go to any particular town, Aldies' is required to build a building that blends in with the town's theme, etc. They look more ethic, and what other word can I use...the opposite of what you see on 165th & Columbia.

I am stating, Hammond should impose the same rules. Upgrade the facade, make it look like it's "uplifting" instead of a salty place for food stamp card recipients. The very people in Orland who said, "NOT IN MY BACKYARD" have since resorted to the Aldie's. They come in suits, heels, and whatever.

Have you shopped the stores yet? Imported cheese, imported wine, and lots of stuff that are on special. At this time in our economy, even those elite people my put on a jogging suit, and disguise themselves, because, now they are "down to the typical person's level."

They have imported Italian cheese, imported Greek cheese, stuff like olive oil, etc. You can pay double for the same brand of olives or black olives at Jewel, or shuck your high heels and lower yourself to save your hubby a heart attack. It's knowing quality and your prices.

The beef I have is, if a new store is ever to be erected again in Hammond, must at least look like the one in Lansing. If Walgreen's had to blend in, Aldie's should.

Aldies pays very well, when it comes to their employees. They pay $12.00 to start, with benefits. They are cost-contained. I used to refuse to buy their soup, only insisting on Campbell's soup. Guess what? Since the '70s, the soup tastes no different.

They have a smorgasboard of imports that I - for instance, "GOUD CHEESE" would expect to pay more than five dollars for a "little round". I find it at Aldie's for less than three dollars. To me, it's the same brand, which it is, and tastes the same.

There are two things I'm saying here: Hammond should insist on a certain facade, a certain type of facade that would be uplifting to the community as Aldie's has already done in many communities.

Lastly, hire local residents, and open more registers. Long lines discourage people from running in and out.

One hint: make sure the bleach or soap bottle cap is secure before you pull it off the shelf. I ruined a good pair of jeans with pulling a bottle of bleach off the shelf, and I had bleach all over me. Despit pictures they took and a claim I submitted, the 89 cent bottle of bleach cost me a pair of $35.00 jeans, with no result from the motherhood of Aldies. I guess I was considered a Hammonite, and not that faux paux with red hills from Orland Hills, where they'd expect a fuss.

One hint: make sure the bleach or soap bottle cap is secure before you pull it off the shelf. I ruined a good pair of jeans with pulling a bottle of bleach off the shelf, and I had bleach all over me. Despit pictures they took and a claim I submitted, the 89 cent bottle of bleach cost me a pair of $35.00 jeans, with no result from the motherhood of Aldies. I guess I was considered a Hammonite, and not that faux paux with red hills from Orland Hills, where they'd expect a fuss.

Honestly I think you are blaming the store for the packers sloppy Quality Controls. It can happen more often when say (using a different product for my example) instead of buying a name brand product like Pepsi with modern packaging equipment and good quality protocols and instead purchase a store brand like American Juices in Gary used to using equipment that was constantly in need of repair and workers were not well compensated.

In my youth before college I used to work at a lot of contract fulfillment packers in addition to Pepsi as a 3rd party temp agency worker. So that is what I'm basing my opinion on. That said I also worked a week at Jefferson Smurfitt in Forseman, IN and despite some names of products being name brand it was a horror story about the packing equipment and operation. So I guess even a brand name is no guarantee of itself.

One lady on my line (we were repacking some individual laundry packs that the machines screwed up) had a finger severed because a 1st power cutoff switch failed and after going to the hospital to have it reattached was told she had to return to work to clock out or wouldn't be paid for the day! And of course no paid time off either. They even convinced her it was her fault because she should have known the switch was faulty.

Experiences like these are part of the reason I often care so much about the low paid labor stiffs and my desire for every regular worker to have at least minimal benefits.