Aldi adds to Allegheny Township’s business growth

Shoppers in Allegheny Township soon will have another option for groceries.

Aldi has committed to opening a store in Hyde Park Plaza, township Supervisor Jamie Morabito confirmed.

Plaza owner Jeff Paul said the store likely will open in the last quarter of 2024. Hyde Park has attracted several new businesses since Paul purchased the property in September 2022, including Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Dollar Tree.

The plaza has 16 storefronts and 564 parking spaces.

Giant Eagle is the only supermarket operating in Allegheny Township.

Aldi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The grocery giant has said it hopes to add 800 new stores by the end of 2028, targeting Pennsylvania as part of its expansion. There are nearly 2,400 Aldi locations nationwide.

Morabito said he has prioritized bringing new business to town since joining the board in January 2022, with around a dozen stores and restaurants to show for it.

For Aldi, Morabito spent a year and a half in contact with the company’s site coordinator to provide traffic and demographic data, he said. He cited the township’s relatively small population of 8,000 as a sticking point in talks with Aldi and other companies.

“That was the biggest obstacle of getting them interested enough and then keeping them interested in our area,” Morabito said. “I really had to sell the township to these corporations.”

Morabito said he expects vacancy rates in the township’s three plazas to keep declining.

“It’s a lot easier now that some bigger anchors have come into Allegheny Township,” he said. “It’s proving that it’s a viable area for businesses to survive and thrive.”