FLEMING ISLAND, Fla. – A Fleming Island Winn Dixie is set to close its doors on Thursday as part of the grocery chain’s acquisition by Aldi in 2023.
The store off County Road 220 will soon undergo renovations to become one of Aldi’s grocery stores, a change that has drawn mixed reactions from local residents.
For shoppers like Beth Spinu, the transition was welcomed.
“It would be actually easier for us because we live here in Fleming Island,” Spinu said, noting the new Aldi location will save her a trip to the nearest Aldi on Blanding Boulevard.
She pointed to Aldi’s affordability and specialty items as key advantages. She also praised Aldi’s bread and fruit for being high quality and inexpensive.
Others, like Christy Williams, weren’t as enthusiastic, saying she would not make the trip to shop at Aldi.
Some shoppers, like Marnie Buchanan, fall somewhere in between.
“I’ve shopped Aldi’s before, so I’ll go to it again, and it’ll be close, but I’m going to miss my Winn-Dixie,” she said.
To see how the stores compare, News4JAX priced grocery staples at both Aldi and Winn-Dixie. Here’s the breakdown:
Aldi:
- Bread: $1.39
- Cheese slices: $1.79
- Ground beef: $3.79/lb
- Chicken breast: $4.43 for two
- Eggs: $3.97/dozen
- Milk: $2.87/gallon
- Apples: $3.29/bag
- Potatoes: $3.59/bag
Winn-Dixie:
- Bread: $2.79
- Cheese slices: $3.29 (or 2 for $5 with rewards card)
- Ground beef: $5.49/lb with rewards card
- Chicken breast: $8.40 for two with rewards card
- Eggs: $6.69/dozen
- Milk: $4.29/gallon
- Apples: $3.99/bag
- Potatoes: $3.49/ba
While Aldi consistently offered lower prices on most items, Winn-Dixie’s potatoes were slightly cheaper.
News4JAX reached out to Aldi for a timeline on when the store will reopen as an Aldi but has not yet received a response.