Discount Chain Grocer Opens In Westhamtpon Beach This Week

Residents of Westhampton Beach have been through it before — going without a neighborhood grocery store when the sole outlet changes hands and months of renovations and curiosity about what’s next commence. This week, at 7:40 in the morning on Wednesday, May 19, the wait will be over. Lidl (pronounced “lee-duhl,”) will open in the Sunset Avenue spot formerly occupied by Best Market, which closed just before Thanksgiving.

A German grocer, the Lidl model is what’s known as a small inventory store with a rotating stock. That means, what a shopper might find during one trip, they may not on the next, as with similar discount chains like Aldi.

Lidl bought Best Market stores in 2018 — 24 of Best Market’s 28 stores are located on Long Island and this will be Lidl’s 17th Long Island outlet.

The company has around 11,200 stores altogether, and is active in 32 countries, employing more than 310,000 employees globally. Lidl first established its U.S. headquarters, in Arlington, Virginia, in June 2015.

News of the transition, from Best Market to Lidl was met with mixed reactions in the community. Shoppers worried it might not be a good fit for the village, and that they would have to leave town and head to Riverhead or Hampton Bays for a “one-stop shop” experience.

Village Board member Brian Tymann is keeping an open mind. People expressed concern when Best Market came in, and have each time the market changed hands, he noted.

Community members have expressed trepidation about the notion of a potentially downscale discount store in their village, but Mr. Tymann believes “they deserve a chance. I’m not going to form an opinion before stepping in to the store. I’m going in with an open mind.”

“People said it was going to be a dump, and we were pleasantly surprised,” he continued, recalling the time leading up to Best Market’s opening. But Best Market went outside type and molded the store based on demographics, the board member pointed out. Mr. Tymann is hoping Lidl does the same.

Everyone always speaks of how much they love their local specialty shops like Justin’s Chop Shop and the Fruit King farmstand, he said. People could continue to shop “local” along with browsing the chain grocer’s aisles. The lawmaker predicted he’ll shop at Lidl, as well as local stores.

“This could be a great fit. Lidl doesn’t have to be the be all and end all,” he said.

In the meantime, Mr. Tymann confessed, “I’ve peeked in the windows a little, but I didn’t see much. I’m saving it for the big opening.”

On Wednesday, customers will be able to take advantage of “get-them-while-you-can” grand opening special offers at the Westhampton Beach grand opening, according to a release from Lidl. The first 100 customers will be presented with a special gift card ranging from $5 to $100 each.

Additionally, Lidl is partnering with the John Theissen Children’s Foundation to raise money for kids in need on Long Island. During the grand opening, Lidl will donate 50 cents to the organization for every new myLidl member who signs up and sets the new store as their home store.

“Westhampton Beach welcomes Lidl to our Village, and we appreciate its investment in and commitment to our community,” said Mayor Maria Moore, in the release. “We wish them great success!”