ALDI's, who purchased several Bottom Dollar grocery stores last year, has announced they will not reopen Valley locations as grocery stores.


Within Youngstown's 34 square miles, there are only about five grocery stores.   Some neighborhoods are considered "food deserts."


Councilman Mike Ray said that when the Bottom Dollar on Mahoning Avenue opened, the nearby Sparkle Market closed. And now, there's no grocery store on the West Side.


"If you're relying on public transit, you know take a bus, it would take a long time to get to a store. It would take probably over an hour to get to a store, each way," Ray said.


The inconvenience, means some may have to rely on convenience stores. Which, often times do not offer the fresh produce and products needed for a balanced diet.


To fill the void, the city is in talks with ALDI in hopes of obtaining some of the properties to try and attract other grocers.

"It may not be a grocery store. I don't want that to be the case. That's our priority, because of the need, but we also need to try and not have another vacant building in the neighborhood," said Director of Economic Development in Youngstown T. Sharon Woodberry.


But if there is a need for a grocery store, why did ALDI decide to sell or sublease the Youngstown locations, instead of opening them?


A spokesperson for the company couldn't give specifics but did say they consider population density and proximity to other ALDIs.


"For a example, Midlothian there is an ALDI one mile south on South Avenue. So even though it's just imaginary lines, they don't care if it's on the Youngstown side or the Boardman side," explained Woodberry.


Still, there are neighborhoods without easy access to groceries, so city leaders hope the right company will invest.


For more on ALDI's purchase of Bottom Dollars Foods and their future plans, click