Aldi adds to Allegheny Township's business growth

Shoppers in Allegheny Township soon will have another option for groceries.

Aldi has committed to opening a store later this year in Hyde Park Plaza, along with three other locations in Western Pennsylvania.

Hyde Park Plaza owner Jeff Paul expects the opening to take place the last three months of this year. Hyde Park Plaza has attracted several new businesses since Paul purchased the property in September 2022, including Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and Dollar Tree.

The plaza has 16 storefronts and 564 parking spaces.

At present, Giant Eagle is the only supermarket operating in Allegheny Township.

Aldi has said it hopes to add 800 new stores to its 2,400 by the end of 2028, targeting Pennsylvania as part of its expansion.

“Bottom line, we look for convenient locations for our customers that can support high traffic volume daily,” said JR Perry, Aldi Saxonburg Division vice president. “Our growth in this region is driven by our loyal customers demanding Aldi in their neighborhoods.”

Perry said the Allegheny Township location will create 15 jobs.

The other locations that Aldi announced are in Wilkinsburg, 450 56th St., Pittsburgh and 234 Perry Highway, Harmony.

Allegheny Township Supervisor James “Jamie” Morabito said he has prioritized bringing new business to town since joining the board in January 2022, with around a dozen stores and restaurants to show for it.

For Aldi, Morabito said he spent a year-and-a-half in contact with the company’s site coordinator to provide traffic and demographic data. He cited the township’s relatively small population of 8,000 as a sticking point in talks with Aldi and other companies.

“That was the biggest obstacle of getting them interested enough and then keeping them interested in our area,” Morabito said. “I really had to sell the township to these corporations.”

Morabito said he expects vacancy rates in the township’s three plazas to keep declining.

“It’s a lot easier now that some bigger anchors have come into Allegheny Township,” he said. “It’s proving that it’s a viable area for businesses to survive and thrive.”