Bossier has a new grocery option in town and the well-known chain has gained quite the momentum and excitement from locals. Renowned for its commitment to high-quality products at affordable prices, Aldi is here and ready to become a valued addition to the Bossier community. From fresh produce sourced locally to exclusive brands beloved nationwide, the arrival of Aldi signifies not just a store opening, but a new hub for convenient shopping.
A self-proclaimed Aldi Super Fan, Robin Wright has shopped at Aldi stores for the past 20 years. As a Michigan native, Wright first learned about the store from her daughter. Wright’s daughter initially began frequenting Aldi to save money and the budget-friendly store appeals to those individuals or families looking for healthy, yet reasonably priced options. Once Wright first visited Aldi, she was hooked!
After moving to north Louisiana, Wright had to get creative with her Aldi fix. At first, she would rely on her visits to Michigan. During the three to four times a year she would visit, she would make sure to include an Aldi trip while in Michigan and bring back all of her favorite items, especially paper and plastic products. “You can’t beat the price,” says Wright. Eventually, Longview brought an Aldi to the east Texas region and Wright was ecstatic to have a closer Aldi option. One can only imagine Wright’s excitement to learn the Bossier-Shreveport area was slated for two Aldi stores. Last November, when the first local Aldi opened in Shreveport, Wright was one of the first 100 customers in line. While in line, she visited with a few other Aldi lovers and joked about starting a local Aldi Facebook page full of weekly specials and deals. The posts would eventually target and entice customers from outside the area to visit Bossier-Shreveport. The fellow patrons thought this was a great idea and Wright started the page right then and there, encouraging the crowd to follow the page.
Since November, the page has reached a whopping 14,500 followers. Robin is at Aldi every Wednesday at 9 a.m. to check out the current week’s offerings. The store staff and management know Wright by name and customers are starting to recognize Wright when she is in the store grabbing pictures for the Facebook page. “I’m retired, a grandma, my kids are all grown and out-of-state, so this gives me something to do on Wednesdays,” says Wright. When asked what her favorite Aldi item is, Wright immediately said chicken salad. She is sure to grab a tub at each visit. Other favorites include great everyday food items like potato salad and coleslaw and Aldi is full of great bakery items like breads, cupcakes, and cookies. Check out all of Wright’s first-time shopper advice, as well as, the best time to shop in the information below.
First-Time Shopper Advice
Do not forget your quarter! To use a cart at any of the Aldi stores, you must insert a quarter into a cart. In order to get your quarter back you must return the cart. What an outside-of-the-box idea! This helps keep the parking lot tidy. Do not be surprised if an outgoing customer offers up their buggy to you on their way out. For the weekly Aldi goers, you might want to invest in a quarter fob, a keychain that Aldi sells every so often, as a way to keep up with the same quarter for Aldi visits.
Tip: Do not buy online. They are much more reasonably priced in-store or Wright has a bunch and will gladly share.
If you are a first-time shopper at Aldi, first and foremost the best plan of action is to allow yourself time to do a walkthrough of the store. Take it all in and look at everything. Wright suggests not going in hogwild grabbing random items. Once you familiarize yourself with the store, the first department to look at is the produce section. The produce selection and pricing is what first drew Wright in as a fan of the store. After produce, other areas that stand out include the cheese section – Aldi has an amazing selection of cheeses and dips – and the paper products section.
Product prices are displayed in either red or black. When the price is displayed in black, this means the item is going to be in store for a while. When the price is displayed in red, this means the item is in store short term and will soon be discontinued. The discontinued item might not be gone forever but the red does mean the product is going away and will not be there the following month.
Be mindful to bring your own reusable grocery bags as Aldi encourages eco-friendly shopping, but if you forget and need a paper bag they are 17 cents. Aldi does offer canvas tote bags for $1.99. Aldi also offers a cart full of boxes that are available for customers to use for their groceries.
When to Expect the Best Deals/Steals/Sales
The best day and time to shop at Aldi for all the best product options and availability is each Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. The two middle aisles are referred to as the Aisles of Shame since these aisles are full of deals and more than likely this is where everyone spends all their money. Customers can expect to see some non-traditional items on these aisles. Products you might not typically see at a grocery store. Wright mentioned a few items she has recently purchased on these aisles include a set of cute lanterns. Wright went on to say these style lanterns might be $12.99 at a home improvement store but at Aldi they were $6.99. The Aisles of Shame will include camping gear one week and the next week bedroom sets might be available. Each week there is an array of new items, all at a reasonable price point.
One of the last comments Wright made was this, “Aldi allows a family of five to grocery shop for under budget and still have really good food and not eat hamburger helper every night. It allows you to feed your kids healthy food – that’s the overall concept – to feed your family healthy foods within a budget.”
Well, there you have it! Check out the newest addition to the Bossier community at 2900 Meadow Creek Drive in north Bossier City. Be sure to enlist some of these tips and tricks to ensure your visit is effortless, smooth, and full of delicious, healthy foods all within a reasonable budget.