Aldi is looking to prepare two sites in Denver for its first grocery stores in Colorado.

The popular German discount brand is one of the fastest-growing grocery chains in the U.S. with plans to bring about 50 stores to the Denver and Colorado Springs area within the next two years.

The chain filed for permits at two locations in the northwest Denver region.

One of the stores is set to be located at 9111 E. 40th Ave., according to files submitted to the City and County of Denver. It’ll span 19,400 square feet and include 109 parking spaces in the area off Interstate 70 and Central Park Boulevard next to the new Cracker Barrel.

The other store is set to open at on the intersection of East 57th Avenue and Tower Road, near the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and the 61st/Pena Rail Station.

The store at 18453 E. 57th Ave. will be nearly 20,000 square feet and have 90 parking spaces, city records show.

Both stores will include beer and wine sales, according to the permits filed on July 1.

It’s not clear when the stores will open, and Aldi did not respond to a request by The Denver Gazette for comment by the time this story was published.

Colorado was one of 11 states without an Aldi store when the grocer made its announcement at the beginning of the year. Several grocery executives during the Kroger and Albertsons merger trial testified in court that Aldi could soon become a major competitor to them in the state.

The chain is known for its private labels, shipping box displays, cheap deals and requiring shoppers to use a quarter when borrowing a shopping cart.

Aldi was founded in Germany in the 1960s by Theo and Karl Albrecht, though the two brothers split the company on geographical boundaries. Aldi Nord ran stores in North Germany and Aldi Sud focused on the south.

Aldi U.S. is the American subsidiary of Aldi Süd, which opened its first store in 1976 in Iowa and is headquartered in Batavia, Ill. Trader Joe’s is owned by the family that runs Aldi Nord.

Girl Scouts of Colorado has a new CEO

The Colorado chapter of the nonprofit organization known for its cookies and childhood development announced it has a new CEO, according to a press release.

Girl Scouts of Colorado announced Amanda Kelly, a behavioral scientist and nonprofit executive, will take over the organization after its current CEO Leanna Clark retires.

Kelly will begin on Aug. 24, the press release said.

The new CEO has worked 14 years at Firefly Autism, including as president and CEO since 2021. Kelly earned her doctorate in psychological science and behavior analysis at Maynooth University in Ireland. She’s also a Girl Scout lifetime member, the organization said.

Kelly cofounded the Colorado Neurodiversity Chamber of Commerce and serves on the boards of CiviCO and the Jefferson Center for Mental Health.

“Our Board conducted a rigorous national search, and Amanda stood out at every stage,” said Kelli Clifton Ogunsanya, chair of the Girl Scouts of Colorado Board of Directors, in a press release. “She brings deep expertise in child development, a strong record of organizational leadership and a clear commitment to creating environments where children and families across Colorado can thrive.”

Bass Pro Shops to open Loveland store this month

Outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops will open its next store in Colorado on July 22, the company announced.

It will be Bass Pro Shops’ sixth location in the state.

The new store at 5945 Bass Pro Drive, east of Interstate 25, will span 130,000 square feet. The company announced it would expand into Loveland back in 2023. The store will anchor the “Brands at the Ranch” development on Interstate 25, centrally located between Denver and Cheyenne, Wyo.

The company will host an Evening for Conservation at 5 p.m. on grand opening day featuring performances and appearances from Celeste Kellogg, Roland Martin, Jimmy Houston, Edwin Evers, Jim Shockey, Eva Shockey, Nate Zelinsky and Kevin VanDam.

The store will include a 12,000-gallon aquarium and a 3,000-gallon trout stream, home to more than 100 fish such as bass, crappie, sunfish, walleye and carp.

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