Looks like the End Has Come For The Lake Sumter Landing Winn-Dixie
 

According to the other Villages news source ALDI is reducing the beautiful Winn-Dixie store to about 60% of its floorplan, converting it to an ALDI footprint. Nothing was shown in the published plans of what will be done with the other 40% of the existing building.
In my opinion, too bad for us Villagers. To me, from the few times I've been in an ALDI's, they seem to be one step up from a gas station convenience store: limited, cluttered, grubby, disorganized and a poor selection of quality healthy food. But I guess cheap likes cheap. However, I can't argue with their success.

I likes it best when it was SweetBay

Nothing could be worse than Winn-Dixie. I've never been in an Aldi's, but it has to be better than what it's replacing.

I disagree. You can do 98% of your shopping at Aldi. Less expensive and solid quality. Aldi FTW

I absolutely love Aldi. Prices are way cheaper, smaller store, etc.

Yes. Smaller footprint is much easier to navigate.

I'm not fond at all of the Crystal Lakes (is the the name of that brand they carry?) dairy products. They also don't carry Pepsi, and that's the brand we have here at our house. So I'd have to go to Walmart anyway, or BJs for parmesano reggiano and my cafe bustello 4-packs - a lot of things we prefer, that Aldi's just doesn't carry. But for canned foods, salads, milk, chips and sandwich breads, snack foods - Aldi's is great. Turns out we like their brand of hotdogs too, but I need to find out which variety it was that we had at a particular cookout last year so I can get the right ones. Was it all beef franks, was it turkey dogs? I dunno. They were delish though, whichever they were.

I have not been to an Aldi's in years but will miss the Winn-Dixie over in Sumter Landing. Very good beef for the most part. I had found the Aldi's meats not worth buying.

I pretty much agree with the OP regarding Aldi’s. The three or four where we shopped seemed disorganized and sort of “grubby” for the lack of a better word. However, our best friends love them. Go figure. To each their own.

We like them, rapid turnover of produce so very fresh. Store brands generally very good

They are "cluttered, grubby and disorganized" because people shop the crap out of them. Affordable organic, if that's what you're looking for, really good bread products and affordable dairy products and eggs. Yes, sometimes you can't find a particular product you may purchase regularly, but there seems to be a similar one in it's place. The employees at the 466a store are extremely hard working and efficient. I stopped shopping Winn-Dixie regularly when the new owners did away with Sweet Bay. I always hate to see businesses leave, but always hope they are replaced with something I will frequent. I will love having Aldi's just a short cart ride away.:a040:

Aldi is organized, easy to find anything in the store. Fabulous healthy options especially organic produce & GF. Specially Select brand & Evolution brand house brands have excellent options. The salsa verde & the marmalades excellent.
Cheese section good.
It’s not pretty or fancy and has limited options.
Give it another try and see if you can appreciate its niche in the market. Be sure to look at the Aldi Finds aisle.
Soon the Oktoberfest items will arrive, get those quickly, sell out. Then holiday items, some in nice packaging which makes them good as gifts.

store
 

Love Aldi's

Good point. We like Aldi's but prefer traveling by golf cart - these are mutually exclusive today. A golf cart accessible Aldi's will change our shopping habits for sure.

Way Better Than Publix
 

We shop at different stores, but I would prefer the ALDIs to Winn Dixie or Publix.

Have apps that tell me where I get the best bang for my buck, for the same or close product, but usually a known brand compared to private brand. It also tells me it’s not available, go elsewhere.

Rarely does my app give me Aldi as a better price, or the same cost per ounce.
Why would I meat for a higher per ounce or pound price at Aldi, instead of at other grocery.
It bothers me the chaotic looks of Aldi, even at rope drop. Some say it the shopper that causes the issue, I look at why doesn’t management resolve issues after hours, like all retail has to do.
My parents were avid shoppers of Aldi, until I added price comparison apps. Aldi dropped from their go to store, to rarely shop at Aldi

Would you care to share what those price-comparison apps are? They sound useful.

It would be interesting to see if the same (or very similar) product is cheaper elsewhere in general. Sure, Publix BOGOs are a steal but they may not be available the day I need to buy French salad dressing.

We find Aldis cheaper than most any store

Google is easier for grocery price app, for your device. That said I go to livewire, and pick what works with where I shop for apps. Flipp works well, and is easy for my parents to navigate. I will say if you pay attention to BOGO, you may be basically paying the same or less per unit, for one at other grocery.

I also have Walmart plus delivery and Kroger, that I can pit against each other for everyday shopping. Let face it one doesn’t really need to be in a grocery to buy most items, and waste time and gas to do so.
When I go to TJ’s I don’t price shop for items that are a staple for us. I find their fresh and meat is better than most grocery, with many kosher items, that have zero additives and preservatives, which is very important to us.

I am sometimes amused, but mostly annoyed by the folks who find fodder for disdain in just about anything. I liked the Winn-Dixie at THAT location both as it is and as Sweet Bay. I very much enjoy Aldi's and look forward to my Sunday morning run, where I will pick up meat in the guise of boneless skinless chicken thighs and some really yummy put together meals with beef brisket and really yummy barbecue sauce. I get them every week. I also like some of their baked goods and almost always pick up a cheese danish and cinnamon rolls, but just to remain virtuous I throw in some grapes and some fresh broccoli and last week I got some fresh asparagus and some bananas of course know that at least two of the bananas with hit the trash before it enters our mouth. I LOVE to see the weekly "specials" and have rescued a garden hat and some nice garden gloves recently and I also always enjoy their good prices on milk; (white and chocolate.........and half and half. I also LOVE Publix and ditto Walmart, (And if you haven't been in Walmart lately, please go...great prices and some really awesome finds on almost all small kitchen appliances........as well as some mighty spiff new furniture pieces. YES I said furniture pieces. Stop being a snob and go and look or browse on line. Have a great day Y'all. All of you. Even that one over there frowning............

TV is lucky to have such a variety of shopping options. And when Costco gets up and rolling there will be no need to drive any longer than maybe 15 minutes for anything grocery- or household-need related.

I love Aldi, & I wish we had a Trader Joe's nearby.

and
 

Aldi has come a long way in the last ten years. They have closed most of the old stores and have built brand new ones that are very functional. The quarter for a cart keeps the parking lot clear for cars.

Right on, Gracie!

There's something good to be said for all of them. I will be sorry if the W-D in Pinellas closes. We were hoping it wouldn't because there already is an Aldi's across the street. DH shops at W-D almost exclusively. But he likes Publix deli and subs. I still like Publix but have become familiar with Aldi's and go there for certain items. Mostly people food for the pups (broth, yogurt, pb and green beans), but for ourselves we like their baby Swiss, and their queso sauce and canned chilies for a Mexican chicken dish we make. I DO NOT like their confectioners' sugar. Made for very grainy icing for last Christmas's sugar cookies.

But W-D has decent produce, and hubs buys all his meat there. He likes their chicken tenders and drummettes that you can't find in Publix. And right next-door is the UPS store, handy. We'll definitely miss W-D. Maybe I'll finally try Kroger's online.

Aldi
 

I shop Aldi all the time for certain products. They are cheaper, some of their things are good quality, but a lot of items are poorer quality. Shop carefully. You will pay less for fruit and veggies, maybe 15% but not up to Publix or Winn Dixi more like Walmart.

Yes, Aldi only carries Coke products, and then only a limited selection. I prefer Diet Pepsi when I drink soda, so I have to get that at Publix.

But Aldi has always carried Cafe Bustelo and Parm/Reg in both dry and fresh forms.

Depends. Their fresh salmon and chicken are both excellent. Ground beef is also great. It's only the solid beef like steaks that I find to be sub par.

I find this extremely hard to believe. I am very price conscious, and have found Aldi to be lower on almost everything except sale items elsewhere. The proof is in the register total; when I switched, my bill was around 20% less. YMMV

Will miss WD beer specials…………..

Winn-Dixie employees
 

Convenience is the only reason I shop at Winn-Dixie, and I’m not sure if Aldi’s will be any better. What bothers me is that a Winn-Dixie employee told me that they all will be losing their jobs. That sucks.

Aldi's on US-441 is golf cart accessible.

Yes, for a lot of people, Aldi's on 466a is cart accessible.

Technically, yes.

A golf cart accessible Aldi's inside the Villages and fewer than 10 miles away by golf cart will change our shopping habits for sure.

Winn-Dixie
 

Let’s not all jump to conclusions. The owners of Aldi said that they would not convert all stores to full blown Aldi’s. Some stores will be left just like they are. Lookup Aldi’s on Google taking over Winn-Dixie.

Same brand 31 grain bread...$3.76 Aldi's. $6.29 Publix. $5.99 Winn D Enough said.

“Owned by a German company called Albrecht Discounts, ALDI is a discount grocery chain that started in Germany in 1948. Decidedly no frills, the company stocks virtually all house-brand products, all offered at very low prices thanks to exclusive deals with their suppliers, many of which are big-name producers. ALDI has approximately 5,000 stores worldwide and the two Albrecht brothers, who own the company, are some of the richest men in the world.”
(From a course description, University of Missouri-St. Louis)

Winn/Dixie used to be an American company. It is now a German company. Germany gets the profits. Aldi is divided into two sections that are separate but pool profits somehow and are owned by the same guys: Aldi Nord (north) and Aldi Sud (south). Aldi Nord also owns all the Trader Joe stores. Aldi Sud also owns Winn/Dixie now. That’s why a Trader Joe’s is not going in here.

Aldi is spending $1.9 million on the conversion.

I’ll bet one of the 2 of them will close, which one depends on a lot of economic factors.

Trader Joe's
 

Winn Dixie committed suicide. I thought when Aldi bought them they'd kick butt. Nope.

Aldi on one side, and Trader Joe's on the other (they are the same company).
That would be a winner anywhere.