The Bottom Dollar Food Stores in Downingtown, Coatesville and King of Prussia will close at the end of this year, parent company the Delhaize Group has announced.

Delhaize is selling 66 stores to ALDI, Inc. for $15 million as it follows its previously announced strategy to get out of the discount retail food market to focus on traditional supermarkets.

The transaction includes the land, buildings and leasehold improvements associated with the Bottom Dollar Food banner, and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2015.  The stores affected are in the Philadelphia, southeast New Jersey and greater Pittsburgh regions.

ALDI, which already has a store in Exton, told Lehigh Live it is not yet sure whether it will reopen any of the stores under the  ALDI brand:

“This decision was difficult given the impact on our associates, customers and communities in which we operate,” said Gene Faller, vice president of retail operations for Bottom Dollar. “We want to thank our associates, customers and communities for their support over the past four years.”

Delhaize, based in Illinois, said when the stores close at the end of the year employees will receive severance and eligible employees will be offered career transition services.

ALDI has more than 1,300 stores in 32 states. ALDI’s announced plans to stay on an accelerated growth plan may bode well for the three stores in Chester County.  The company plans to open 650 new stores, bringing its total number of US stores to nearly 2,000 by the end of 2018. The expansion should create more than 10,000 new jobs at ALDI stores, warehouses and division offices.

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