ALDI — Local services in Dumfries

A better way to shop. I am a fan of the brands. I like Apple and Nike and Brooks brothers and definitely General Mills and Boars Head. Aldi has none of that. They are also not a huge grocery store like wal-mart or Costco or Wegmans. But that means that there’s usually only 1-2 choices to any particular product.

Which may sound like a negative because it’s also not the brands we’re used to seeing. But the reason I like all those brands is quality. And, the reason I like choice is because you think you’re finding a bargain more easily. But in reality it’s usually information overload and you can’t make a decision as easily when there is a ton of options for every product. I’m not just saying that. There are studies that prove that to be true.

So, you get your grocery shopping done so much faster! Having said all that...it took my brain about a month to realize that the food we are buying at Aldi is quality stuff 99 times out of a hundred. And that one time you find something that just doesn’t have a great flavor or whatever, they have a double price guarantee. They’ll replace it and give you your money back. Who doesn’t like that?

And, Aldi has forced both our local Walmart and Target to drop the price on eggs and milk. We were paying 1.89 for a dozen eggs before Aldi opened. Now, each store has them for less than .50 cents. Think about that. It wasn’t what they need to charge. It’s what they could charge.

I will say in the interest of going in prepared that they don’t have a large spice section so don’t have some of the more specialized spices like powdered curry or dried leaves like mint, cilantro or parsley.

If you want to feel successful at Aldi, make sure you bring a quarter for the shopping carts. Make sure you leave your ego at the door, and make sure you try one of their ginormous take and bake pizzas. All the rest is a piece of cake. As a family of three, we buy groceries on a weekly basis and if we’re careful can spend less than a hundred dollars. If we want to splurge on some junk food it’s about 120. Hopefully that will give you an idea of the awesomeness...

I like the store for it's cleanliness, fresh produce and very competitive pricing. I shop at this store every week for my grocery. I went to the store this afternoon and I saw an Aldi employee, a white lady, who was not wearing a face mask. When I respectfully asked why she was not wearing a face mask as requested by the State of Virginia to curb the spread of the COVID 19 virus, she asked if I have a problem with that and told me to mind my own business. I am not sure of the policy of the store but I believe the state law supersede that of the store. I told another employee, I believe the manager, about this and he told me that he will check into this. He went back to their warehouse and came back avoiding me even though I was signaling to him. Later I saw him talking to this employee without the face mask on and never said a thing to her. I know Northern Virginia still have high cases of this virus and offering free testing to slow down and prevent this virus from spreading. So if this Aldi store allows their employees not to comply with the efforts to curb the spread of this virus, they should show it on their premises that wearing of face masks are not required. Thanks very much! AN UPDATE!!! Went to this store and the surroundings looking very dirty especially their carts storage areas. I hope that they clean this before the County fine them for...

I'm an Aldi supporter, both in Germany and here. However, we've had 'new' management at this particular store for several years now; sadly, the upkeep, offerings, atmosphere, and service have dropped significantly. With the exception of one or two cashiers and stockers, there is never any interaction or friendly greeting of customers. Add to that the recent chain-wide restructuring of the store, and it's a recipe for discontent. Aisle layouts were greatly changed, imported and seasonal products reduced to almost nothing; fruits/vegetables downsized to make way for endlessly long straight corridors of mostly snacks, cookies, and non-essentials. Granted, that product mark-up and profit are higher, but people want quality and need dependable basic foods above all else. Cleanliness has also taken a hit. The opinions expressed here are echoed by shoppers in the store, along with a sense of disappointment. For the local store: Please bring back the 'old' Aldi. For corporate headquarters: No one understands what you were thinking with the new layout. I've often heard customers say, 'This is just terrible" and walkout. And not only at our store, but at other locations, too. We miss the feeling of what it was like to shop at a community store that was a cut above...