A store tour for journalists at an Aldi store in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta finished up on the Aldi Finds aisle. For the uninitiated, the aisle is a mix of Aldi-exclusive brands as well as some national and licensed brands. It’s mostly general merchandise, but there also are some food items classified as “Finds.”
Aldi buyers focus on staying ahead of trends when stocking the aisle, including for the back-to-school season, noted Shaun O’Keefe, regional VP for Aldi in Jefferson, Georgia, who conducted the tour in mid-July. He picked a backpack off the shelf that featured a licensed character and was $14.99. Those were popular with his own school-age kids, he said.
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For the teen going off to college and wanting to personalize a dorm room, there are glass candle holders with matching candles, wall mirrors with colorful, wavy frames, bedding, pillows and more. Smiley faces, flowers and mushrooms were among the themes that appeared on several of the items.
“You can pair those things together in your dorm room or if you just have somebody in your house who likes to have different decorations in their room, that’s a great choice,” he said. “You’ll find really high-quality items that will match or exceed the name brand. It’s just our way to bring in some fun things.”
The aisle also featured some Team USA items to capture the excitement of the Olympic Games in Paris that wrapped up Aug. 11.
