German-based company may be considering Middle Georgia for a grocery store

A German-based grocery store is apparently planning to come to Warner Robins.

The Atlanta office of New Jersey-based Bohler Engineering has filed a Development of Regional Impact form with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for a Lidl grocery store on Ga. 96.

The Middle Georgia Regional Commission would determine if the project is a development of regional impact, and if so, other county or city governments that might be affected would be asked to comment about the impact.

The DRI form indicates Lidl, pronounced “leedle,” would build a 35,392-square-foot store on a vacant 28.81-acre site on the south side of Ga. 96 between S. Houston Lake Road and Sutherlin Drive. The site is between an Advance Auto Parts store and a small strip center with Dunkin’ Donuts and Casa Mexico restaurant.

Attempts to reach Lidl and Bohler this week were unsuccessful.

Lidl and Aldi, another German supermarket chain, “are best known for their rock-bottom prices,” according to Business Insider, an online business news site. A September 2016 article said Lidl is planning “to open stores in dozens of cities along the East Coast, spanning from New Jersey to Georgia.”

The chain’s headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia, and it is building warehouses in Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia, the article said.

Aldi has more than 1,600 locations in 35 states. Similar to Aldi, Lidl displays most of its merchandise in shipping boxes, and customers are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags and bag their own groceries, reports say.

This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 2:35 PM with the headline "German-based company may be considering Middle Georgia for a grocery store."