One Area Winn Dixie Will Soon Be Converted Into Aldi Store

August 26, 2024

Get your quarters ready.

The process to convert some of the Winn Dixie grocery stores in Florida is beginning. Aldi tells NorthEscambia.com that one Aldi in the North Escambia area will close next month to begin the conversion into an Aldi.

In March, the Germany-based Aldi completed the purchase of all Winn Dixie stores.

The Winn-Dixie store located at 312 East Nine Mile Road will close for renovations in late September. The store will reopen as an Aldi in the next several months.

“While this store is temporarily closed, we continue to proudly serve the residents of Pensacola at our other area stores. We thank our customers for their years of loyalty at this location and look forward to seeing them soon as a new Aldi,” an Aldi spokesperson told us.

“Customers can expect a quick, easy shopping experience with great products at the lowest possible prices. Our smaller stores are stocked with only the items customers need so they can get in and out,” the company said.

Employees at the Nine Mile Road location will have priority when applying for positions at the new Aldi. The company emphasizes its commitment to minimizing the impact on staff, offering support and opportunities for redeployment within Aldi or transfers to nearby Winn Dixie stores.

Not all Winn-Dixie stores will become Aldis, and the only confirmed Escambia County conversion so far is the Nine Mile Road store.

In case you are wondering why you need a quarter — you insert a quarter to get a shopping cart at Aldi. But don’t worry, it’s like a deposit. You get the quarter back when you return the shopping cart.

The first Aldi store opened in Germany in 1913 and now operates thousands of stores in more than 10 countries. Aldi has opened over 2,300 stores in the U.S. and continues its path as one of America’s fastest growing grocery retailers.

Pictured: The Aldi store on Mobile Highway in Pensacola. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

43 Responses to “One Area Winn Dixie Will Soon Be Converted Into Aldi Store”

  1. Richard on September 7th, 2024 3:36 pm

    Not sure if this is good or bad. The Aldis we have in town are small and rarely have the ’special’ items in their larger or flagship stores. Aldi let 43 employees go on a conversion down south. I enjoy WD and Publix for their BOGOs. If Aldis does not do BOGOs…lots of customers are gonna say bye. I’m sure Publix is licking its chops waiting to see what happens. If it incorporates Aldis brand and pricing stays same or less including BOGOs….then great. If it doesn’t keep pricing, selection, BOGOs….then goodbye. Aldi has to know that WD has a following here, and to drastically change that is gonna hurt their bottom.line. I’ll be fair and wait and see. BTW…I’ve talked to a couple people in other stores (Mobile Hwy & 98 stores)…and they said theulybare jot being affected….so we’ll see.

  2. Blitzer on September 4th, 2024 1:09 pm

    Donna calling people negative Nellie’s is whyis one of several reasons PPL dont like the switch from WD to Aldi’s. Aldi’s forced masks & many locations didn’t take cash. So losing freedoms to a WEF grocer is bot something to be excited about. We have enough Aldi’s in Pensacola without adding two more. My family shopped Winn Dixie from 1960’s-early 2000 until they passed, I used Winn Dixie since kid up till they got bought out. It truly saddens me to see them go. I remember they had best butchers, meats & produce. They would custom cut you a steak just by asking.

  3. Barbara on September 1st, 2024 11:04 am

    Not happy. Pcola already has 2 and the other in Navarre. We need one in Gulf Breeze. We were in town on Friday and made a detour to get to the Mobile Hwy location before heading home. Love the Deutsche Küche selections. Very good. I hope to hear one opening in The Breeze.

  4. Crystal on September 1st, 2024 7:39 am

    Been going to this Winn Dixie for over 14 yeats we actually knew alot of the workers there and they would take time just to talk as we checked out. Aldi discriminated people during covid made people stand outside in the cold because only a few people could go in at a time. Here at Winn Dixie they never did that never attack you for not wearing a face mask they let us keep our freedom. Over seas they are strictly no cash I’m not for that cash is freedom.

  5. Donna Shaw on August 30th, 2024 7:16 pm

    I LOVE Aldi…i drive to the one on Mobile Highway weekly to do our shopping. The quality of the food is excellent at very affordable prices. You negative Nellies don’t know what you’re missing. I love putting my extra money in my pocket.

  6. Lee Fain Shiver on August 29th, 2024 5:43 pm

    I would love to manage a store

  7. Monica on August 29th, 2024 3:09 pm

    Try talking to the employee ’s. Ask vacation time, bonus,jobs offered, parties at headquarters in Jax( on LinkedIn) , . These people are part of our community. Thats a story I want to read.

  8. Just Saying on August 29th, 2024 7:16 am

    All these people complaining about getting a new option for grocery shopping and saying they won’t shop there for some of the dumbest reasons. SMH Don’t like Aldi? Fine. Don’t shop there, but don’t try to ruin it for those of us who know that it’s a great store, treats their employees well (I’ve worked for them for 15 years), has a great selection at fantastic prices (and let’s face it…with our current economy, that’s mandatory and completely excludes Winn Dixie), and MOST OF US are ecstatic to see this! Take the whining elsewhere. It isn’t becoming.

  9. Tanya on August 28th, 2024 1:01 pm

    Can’t believe all the whiners! Winn Dixie has been outrageous for quite a few years since goodings bought them,but not the same quality as goodings..
    If you bothered to “read” all WD will not be changed over to Aldis, only a few.
    Forget Publix, they are so over priced reg folks cannot afford them.
    Aldis produce beats out WD 10 times over!
    Just go in and wander around see whatnthey have. Don’t just poop on it because you’re mad. LOL

  10. Terri coleman on August 28th, 2024 12:04 pm

    I like ALDIs. Their name brands are excellent for a much better price than Publics. Good quality produce. Meat is good too. Not the big selection on all items but you can mostly find what you need. Try it a couple of times before you decide to hate it. You will save a ton of money!

  11. Mike on August 28th, 2024 11:56 am

    Ohh boohoo! I’m not gonna be able to pay for Winn Dixie’s over priced inventory any longer! :(

  12. Michael on August 28th, 2024 11:26 am

    Honestly it’s horrible for the employees, there been other winn dixie stores closing to. The employees are barely told in advance they are being shut down. My wife was given 2 weeks notice her store was being closed. The rehire there talking about as well is complete garbage. They will only be rehiring about 12 people from each store which had anywhere from 60 to 100 employees. There severance package is a joke they are offering as well. Manager that was there for 22years was given $5000 and a plaque. I hope aldis fails.

  13. Lisa on August 28th, 2024 8:34 am

    Love Aldi! Not everyone does and that’s ok! My quarter is ready!

  14. Give me a break on August 27th, 2024 11:27 pm

    Change is hard. Upsetting long standing things makes people uneasy.

    “I like the old things.”

    Things change. It’s the way of the universe. Don’t shop at Aldi if that makes you feel better.

    The beauty of we humans is that we can adapt and thrive in new situations. Open your mind and embrace the future or get left behind.

  15. Robin on August 27th, 2024 9:57 pm

    I don’t like aldi it doesn’t have the selection like Winn-Dixie does hopefully they all will not convert over.
    r.

  16. Heather on August 27th, 2024 9:51 pm

    Please please please turn the gulf breeze win dixie ito an Aldi I hate it so much

  17. Kyle on August 27th, 2024 9:16 pm

    This sucks. That Winn Dixie was my store but I won’t be going to any Aldi. Now I just have to drive to another Winn Dixie on 29,9th Avenue or Bayou for my Southern food favorites and especially meat. You can have the German food or their “brands”.May even drive to Milton for the Piggly Wiggly, but won’t walk into the Aldi.

  18. Ernest on August 27th, 2024 8:15 pm

    People that live closest to the 9 mile rd winn dixie DO NOT want that store here maybe another one but not the 9 mile store

  19. Tina Currence on August 27th, 2024 7:51 pm

    I am not happy about the takeover. I love Winn Dixie and shipped there for many years. I don’t like the Aldi stores and will not shop there.

  20. Cb on August 27th, 2024 7:20 pm

    Aldi absolutely sucks!! What we need is a Kroger or hy-vy

  21. Randy Hoffmann on August 27th, 2024 6:36 pm

    Boooooo!!! Worst thing to happen to thispart of the city!!!

  22. Jimbo on August 27th, 2024 4:39 pm

    I remember these same type of comments when Albertson’s became Publix… I shop at Winn Dixie often and will miss the butchers, for sure. Aldi will need to build a large store to fill that retail space so I might be different than all of the small ones that they have built around the area… It will be OK people, take a breath.

  23. Fritomann on August 27th, 2024 4:05 pm

    When Aldi advertises cheap meats, when I get there, sometimes the same day (Wednesday), all sold out. Maybe they never had that stuff in the first place.

  24. Lisa on August 27th, 2024 3:11 pm

    Winn Dixie’s prices are outrageous and have been for several years now. Aldi has a wonderful selection of cheeses, meats and produce. They do carry items you can’t normally find in other stores as well. Not a place you can do all your grocery shopping but they have cool, gardening and household items too. We’ve scored several non-grocery items in there.

  25. Aaron McCracken on August 27th, 2024 1:56 pm

    There’s two Winn Dixies one on Bayou and one on north ninth ! I would have figured you would have closed one of them because they are less than two miles apart ! It doesn’t really matter to me because I don’t shop Winn Dixie or Aldi’s ! But why the one nine mile , it makes no sense!!

  26. Bill on August 27th, 2024 1:18 pm

    Aldi owns (owners) Trader Joes. Can we get a trader J’s or a sprouts?

  27. anne on August 27th, 2024 10:48 am

    All Winn-Dixies are now owned by Aldi’s and need to be changed to Aldi’s. Winn-Dixie has been out of control on prices for the past 30 years. I went in once a year just to check. Aldi’s foods are above average at good prices. If one can get over name brands, they will save a fortune.

  28. Niknak50 on August 27th, 2024 9:04 am

    @not rich

    I shop at Publix and all this time I was totally unaware I was rich.

  29. Evelyn Washington on August 27th, 2024 7:49 am

    I am really sad about our winn dixie converting to Aldi. I am not a fan of Aldi and I went in winn dixie on Sunday and it was really sad. Some of the employees have already left and others are leaving. I will be taking the drive to one of the publix in my area. I talked to some customer while I was in the store and the majority said they don’t like Aldi and they will be shopping somewhere else.

  30. Todd Bowers on August 27th, 2024 1:39 am

    So what’s happening to the Winn Dixie’s that aren’t being converted into a Aldi’s???

  31. CDPJR on August 26th, 2024 7:58 pm

    ALDI…… I went in , I saw what they have but mostly what they don’t have. As far as my opinion…It is a solid down grade from Winn Dixie for sure.
    It’s a real shame that Winn Dixie sold out.

  32. Well on August 26th, 2024 7:30 pm

    Never been in an Aldi and won’t start now.
    Did shop at Winn Dixie but that’s over too.

    If everyone followed that pattern there’d be no issue.

  33. Not rich on August 26th, 2024 7:10 pm

    There are 2 or 3 Publix up and down 9 Mile Rd for the rich folks. Good to have Aldi as a affordable alternative

  34. Quick Trips on August 26th, 2024 5:43 pm

    Well, there goes my place to pop in n the way home when I need an ingredient or two for supper and don’t want to fight Walmart crowding. I’m going to have to be much more careful to not forget items on my weekly grocery orders.

  35. JR on August 26th, 2024 5:07 pm

    Been to an Aldi, once.
    No thanks.

  36. Rita Jenne-Ryan on August 26th, 2024 4:56 pm

    I like WD too but I also like saving money at Aldi. Their produce Dept is good & cheaper. I save alot on their chips & breads. Their chicken breasts are very good & tasty. No, it doest have the wide choices or name brands. It’s all about your personal prefences

  37. Just Saying on August 26th, 2024 2:22 pm

    For those of you who aren’t happy with this, Aldi is WAY cheaper than other grocery stores, and they have quite a selection, including a lot of things you can’t get at most stores. There may be a few items you’ll need to get elsewhere, but I do nearly all of my shopping at Aldi, and the price is unbeatable.

  38. NorthEscambia.com on August 26th, 2024 12:28 pm

    “That is not the Aldi on Mobile Hwy. The store is not that big.”

    As the story says, IT IS the Aldi on Mobile Highway. We took the pictures!

  39. Dramamama on August 26th, 2024 10:56 am

    That is not the Aldi on Mobile Hwy. The store is not that big.

  40. Lover of Winn Dixie on August 26th, 2024 9:44 am

    Sad to hear that this change is coming. Not a fan of Aldi’s. I have been in several Aldi’s, and I’m just not impressed with them. It’s good to go and get cheap eggs and butter, but to do a complete grocery shopping trip, it does not compare to Winn Dixie. I will travel the extra few miles and go to Cantonment or Bayou Blvd, just so I can shop at Winn Dixie. If all Winn Dixie’s eventually change to Aldi’s, then I will shop Greer’s or Piggly Wiggly for everything. I’m sure there are those that love Aldi’s and are super excited about this change, but I really can’t see anything positive about it.

  41. Marti Tabora on August 26th, 2024 9:11 am

    This is so upsetting to me. That’s where I do all my shopping. I wonder when is the last day we can use our reward points?
    Aldi just doesn’t have everything I need.

  42. Oversight on August 26th, 2024 8:54 am

    Kinda like Sam’s where you bag your own stuff, and don’t expect to save a lot of money.

  43. Kathy on August 26th, 2024 8:13 am

    Can’t wait!