TEMPLE TERRACE — Last month, Winn-Dixie threw a ribbon-cutting for its freshly renovated store on Temple Terrace Highway. By 2027, however, that location may be the last one standing in Temple Terrace.
The chain’s other city spot, at 8837 N. 56th St., just south of the Waverly Apartments and smack dab in the middle of the city’s Community Redevelopment Area, appears to be destined for conversion into the city’s first Aldi.
The commercial real estate website Loopnet shows a listing for “Aldi Excess Space” at the Winn-Dixie location on 56th Street, with a logo for the new grocer.
According to The Shopping Center Group (TCSG), which also has the property on its website, 18,958 square feet of retail space is available to sublease.
A new Aldi will occupy roughly 20,000 square feet.
According to Temple Terrace Permitting Services, no permits have been filed. A manager at the Winn-Dixie declined comment.
The German discount grocery chain known for off-brand finds, surprise middle-aisle deals and cult-level customer loyalty has been quietly reshaping the regional grocery landscape since acquiring Winn-Dixie parent company Southeastern Grocers in 2023.
Of the roughly 400 or so stories it purchased, more than half were planned for Aldi conversion, while the rest were sold back to investors with Southeastern Grocers, which rebranded earlier this year as Winn-Dixie Co.
The stores that survived being Aldi-sized, like the one located on Temple Terrace Hwy., were renovated and kept the Winn-Dixie name.
And just a few miles up the road and outside city limits in Thonotosassa, another Winn-Dixie is getting the Aldi treatment as well.
Winn-Dixie stores, like the 56th St. location, are significantly larger at around 45,000 square feet than Aldi’s compact 20,000-square-foot footprint, which is resulting in the additional excess space being leased.
The same split is planned for the Thonotosassa location at the corner of U.S. 301 and East Fowler Avenue. Plans filed with Hillsborough County show the 43,750-square-foot Winn-Dixie in the University East Shopping Center being divided into a 21,973-square-foot Aldi, with a 21,777-square-foot vacancy waiting to be filled.
The Winn-Dixie on 56th Street has long been the anchor of the former Terrace Plaza — all the way back to its Kash-n-Karry and Sweetbay days. But it is now commonly referred to as the Winn-Dixie Plaza, which is also home to Crumbl Cookies, the Zen Noodle Bar and a post office, to name a few.
Winn-Dixie underwent a renovation in 2022, prior to the Aldi purchase, where it updated its liquor store and added a Dollar Store inside.