The owner of an ALDI grocery store at 998 Broadway St. on Buffalo’s East Side hasn't disclosed with employees whether the store will remain closed, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who wasn’t authorized to speak to WBFO.
Chatter began on social media that the store would be closed permanently leaving the area with one less grocery store, but the source said the employees haven’t heard from the CEO if the store will be shut down for good.
The store was one of the businesses looted during Winter Storm Elliott throughout the city. Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said at a press conference earlier in the week that he didn't know have a total number yet of the businesses that were affected throughout the Queen city, but that there was a "significant impact on the East Side."
ALDI, a German-owned discount supermarket retailer, did give away turkeys and hams in the community Thursday morning because the items were going to spoil. A sign posted outside the store referred customers to the retailer’s three other locations in Buffalo, Cheektowaga, and West Seneca.
The Save-A-Lot, another discount grocery store across the street in the Broadway Market was looted as well but is open and is the only other grocery store in the Broadway-Fillmore area.
WBFO News has reached out to ALDI and is waiting for a response.