Aldi has finally set a date to open its Portland store: March 26, a spokesperson for the German supermarket chain said Thursday.

“We have some fun plans for opening week,” Chris Daniels, regional vice president, said via email. 

Additional information will be announced in the weeks ahead, Daniels said.

The company leased a former Big Lots store in the Pine Tree Shopping Center on Brighton Avenue in February 2025 and had announced plans to open its first discount grocery store in Maine by the end of the year.

Aldi announced last October that the opening would happen in early 2026.

The company has said it would hire 15-20 people for the Portland store and is taking applications online for several full- and part-time positions that would pay $19.50 to $26.50 per hour, including cashiers, stockers and assistant managers.

Aldi planned to open over 200 stores in 2025 and 800 by the end of the decade, according to its website. The $9 billion expansion is expected to strengthen an already strong presence in the Northeast and Midwest, adding nearly 330 stores across both regions.

Aldi is often compared to Trader Joe’s, a chain owned by another German conglomerate, and described as a less expensive Whole Foods. Both of those stores have long-standing locations in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood.

Aldi carries mostly store-brand foods, household essentials, pet supplies and personal items. It is best known for its various snacks, gourmet cheeses, German foods, European chocolates, inexpensive wines and store-brand ketchup.