On Wednesday, November 18, Lidl opened its latest store in Wilmington, North Carolina. Located at Independence Mall, this store marks the 11th completed by EMJ Construction. This is the second Lidl store in Wilmington and brings the company’s total store count in North Carolina to 23.
The Lidl at Independence Mall is part of a redevelopment of the former Sears site and Sears wing at the shopping center. Five Below and Dick’s Sporting Goods have also opened in the new, exterior-facing portion of the mall.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Lidl to our mix of tenants,” said Helen Lewis, General Manager of Independence Mall. “We’ve found that shoppers are looking for more than just retail options from their malls; they’re looking for a one-stop-shop for all of their errands.”
“Lidl is a great grocery store chain that consistently exceeds the expectations of its clients,” said Chas Torrence, EVP, EMJ Construction. “We are thankful to Lidl and Brookfield Properties for the opportunity to be a part of this project.”
Members of the EMJ Construction project team include Tina Brogdon, Melissa Dykes, Brandon Robinson, Joe Woolums, Joey Barbeuld, Matt Uebler, and Ken Boyd.
In August, Lidl US announced plans to open 50 new stores by the end of 2021. The stores will be located in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. Lidl will invest more than $500 million in the new stores and will create about 2,000 new jobs across these communities.
Earlier this year the National Retail Federation ranked Lidl as the top retailer in its Hot 100 Retailers list of fastest-growing companies. Lidl opened its third regional headquarters and distribution center in Cecil County, Maryland, earlier this year to support its store network. It plans to open its fourth distribution center in Covington, Georgia over the next two years.
