The discount grocery store Aldi is opening its first store on the Cape

Thrifty grocery shoppers get ready — a new Aldi is opening in Falmouth, becoming the store’s first location on the Cape on Thursday. 

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m., customers can enter the store and begin shopping. 

According to the store’s website, this Aldi location at 39 Davis Straits will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Greg Bilezikian, who owns the plaza, is excited to bring the international grocery chain to the town. 

“Aldi’s is wonderful to work with,” said Bilezikian on Wednesday. “It’s all positivity from everyone.”

Bilezikian said that the store, which used to house a former Christmas Tree Shops before the company filed for bankruptcy and closed, had been vacant for nearly two years. However, he said, Aldi was the first company to show interest in taking over the space. 

The Christmas Tree Shops was founded on Cape Cod by the Bilezikian family, who expanded the store throughout Massachusetts. In 2003, Bed Bath & Beyond bought the company, which was later sold to Middleborough-based Handil Holdings LLC in 2020. 

Bilezikian said that this location for Aldi was home to the fifth Christmas Tree that opened. 

Regarding Aldi expanding farther onto the Cape, Bilezikian said the company is looking at other locations. 

Aldi did not respond to a request for more information. 

Bilezikian said Aldi invested heavily in the property, turning it into a “European-style” grocery store with a “different feel altogether.” 

“It’s an exciting place for Falmouth,” he said. 

Aldi is known for its unique quirks, such as being a no-frills shopping experience, where stores display goods in their original packaging. To access a grocery cart, customers must insert a quarter, which, upon return, is given back. It is also up to the customers to bag their groceries.

The Falmouth location is joining other nearby Aldi stores in Wareham, Plymouth, New Bedford, and Raynham. 

In a press release in March, Aldi announced plans to invest $9 billion to add 800 stores nationwide by the end of 2028. 

“Our growth is fueled by our customers, and they are asking for more ALDI stores in their neighborhoods nationwide,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi, in a statement. “With up to 40% savings on groceries, new customers are inspired to try us out, and existing customers keep coming back.” 

Beth Treffeisen is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on local news, crime, and business in the New England region.