Lidl to open new grocery store in West Midtown

Driving the news: A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new store will be held on Oct. 22.

Catch up quick: Lidl's first store in Atlanta opened in 2022 at 1855 Memorial Drive in the Kirkwood neighborhood.

• The company's growth has been primarily in the metro Atlanta suburbs, with stores operating in Jonesboro, Mableton, Marietta, Decatur, Roswell, Peachtree Corners, Snellville and Duluth.

The big picture: Despite the number of restaurants, retail spaces and residential housing units that have opened in West Midtown, the area has only attracted smaller boutique stores such as Savi Provisions' locations on Marietta Street and Howell Mill Road.

• Big-box grocery stores closest to West Midtown are all at least a mile away: Publix and Target at Atlantic Station, Kroger on Howell Mill Road in Berkeley Park, Whole Foods in Midtown and Walmart Neighborhood Market in Vine City.

Context: The USDA classifies low access to healthy and affordable food — commonly referred to as food deserts — as, among other things, census tracts with at least 500 people who live more than one mile in urban areas or 10 miles in rural communities from the "nearest supermarket, supercenter, or large grocery store."

Info: Lidl's hours of operation will be 8am to 9pm daily.