BALTIMORE — While several Maryland communities celebrate the opening of new Lidl stores, two planned locations in Baltimore remain stalled after years of development and millions in taxpayer investment.
The German discount grocery chain has opened new stores in wealthier communities like Bowie and Bethesda in recent weeks, drawing large crowds and enthusiastic customers. Meanwhile, Baltimore residents continue waiting for stores that were announced years ago.
"I just love the store, the prices are good here too," said Stephanie Wilson, a shopper at the new Bowie location that opened this month.
Northeast Baltimore store sits empty
Meanwhile, in Northeast Baltimore, a completed Lidl shell constructed in 2023 has sat empty for several years, frustrating local residents.
"Why not open it? What is the big secret?" said Connie Simmons.
Rumors have circulated among community members, including speculation that the delay is due to a retaining wall issue, however, the Mayor's Office stated they are not aware of any structural issues preventing the store from opening.
When contacted directly, the public relations agency representing Lidl would only say that they announce store openings a month in advance, they have no new details, and Baltimore shoppers can visit their store near Morgan State University.
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"It's crazy how quickly they built it compared to how long it's been sitting there," said Harmony Richardson, another local resident.
While this area has other grocery options, residents say they're tired of looking at an empty building.
East Baltimore location part of major redevelopment
The situation is more complex in East Baltimore, which is considered a food desert. A Lidl store was planned as part of the $1 billion Perkins-Somerset-Oldtown redevelopment plan, designed to transform public housing into a vibrant mixed-income community with a grocery store anchoring the project.
Dana Henson of the Henson Development Company, one of the developers for the project, said in 2023 the store would be a Lidl, but that commitment now appears to be in limbo.
READ MORE: Promised grocery store in East Baltimore faces uncertain future
"I know generally what happens in these packages, the city does try to do everything it can," said Bill Cole, partner at Margrave Strategies, and former president of the Baltimore Development Corporation.
Lidl initially expressed interest in the East Baltimore location but walked away. Emails between the developer and the Housing Authority of Baltimore City obtained by WMAR-2 News' Mallory Sofastaii reveal the company had concerns about area incomes, estimated at $19,000 per year.
"Sometimes, they look at the income models and they say we just can't make it work there, so you have to work hard. The government has to work even harder at trying to incentivize those locations," Cole said.
Sometime after November 2021, Lidl returned to negotiations as the project lined up millions in incentives, including targeted tax credits, a tenant allowance, and $1.35 million in state bonds to help the developer build out the grocery site.
But now, with millions in public money on the line, Lidl, the developer and the city have all gone silent on whether the store will open.
"Basically, you're at the will of the company. The city doesn't get to decide when a grocery store opens, you can incentivize. The developer often doesn't get to decide. They can just make sure the site is ready. At the end of the day, it's up to the company to decide when they're going to open, where they're going to open, and that's frustrating," Cole said.
And yet, his message to residents is to remain optimistic.
"Don't give up. I think something good is going to happen here. I know that everybody is aligned in ensuring that food access and a really quality food access store is provided here, and I'm comfortable in saying something good will happen," he said.
Some funding for the project was designated specifically to support the inclusion of a grocery store. If that changes, the city would need to review and approve reallocation of those funds, according to the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC).
Lidl did not respond to requests for an update on either Baltimore store. The developer, mayor's office and HABC also have not yet responded to requests for comment.
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