5 days ago
Clyde North retail boom continues with Aldi slated for St Germain
Families in Clyde North will soon have another reason to shop local, with Aldi locked in for a major new store in the heart of the walkable St Germain precinct.
The German supermarket chain will join Coles and 19 specialty retailers at St Germain Central, as part of a masterplanned lifestyle hub that's reshaping one of Melbourne's fastest-growing corridors.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2026, with doors set to open in 2027.
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Gill Family Corp chief executive David Blumenthal said Aldi's arrival marked a major win for local residents, many of whom had already embraced the estate's retail offering since it opened in December 2023.
'This will probably be the first time most residents are hearing about Aldi coming in, and I imagine they'll be thrilled,' Mr Blumenthal said.
'You'll literally be able to walk across the car park from Aldi to Coles, top up your shopping in any of our 19 other stores, and get everything done in one stop.
'It's all about value, convenience, and choice.'
While this won't be the first Aldi in the Clyde North catchment, it will bring the chain's newest store format to the estate, with energy-efficient features and a modern design brief aimed at future-proofing the space.
Mr Blumenthal said Gill Family Corp had just secured planning approval, and are now working through the finer details before construction starts early next year.
The walkable St Germain Central precinct already includes a full-line Coles, a newly opened medical centre, and specialty dining and retail tenancies, all anchored by underground parking and a village-style layout that's rare in new suburban estates.
'We've had amazing feedback,' he said.
'One of the big points of difference is the underground carparking, it's rare in greenfield developments like this.'
'We want our centres to feel good, function well, and offer an enjoyable experience. That pays off for everyone, retailers, residents, and the broader community.'
The broader St Germain estate has also completely sold out its residential land component, with a growing population of families and professionals driving ongoing demand for local services.
The Gill Family Corp chief executive said the outer southeast corridor is booming.
'The population in Clyde North is forecast to triple in the next five to six years, that's the scale of growth we're talking about,' he said.
'And with that growth comes demand for high-quality services, retail, health, education, lifestyle. Aldi saw that and jumped on board.'
Looking ahead, the developers are also preparing to launch a major bulky goods precinct across the road from the centre, with three national anchor tenants already secured and more to be announced in the coming months.
'We've got 55ha of commercial land to develop over the next decade,' Mr Blumenthal said.
'There's a large new healthcare facility nearing completion next month, and we're continuing to expand the retail mix as demand grows.'
'We're in this for the long haul — as landlords and developers — and our aim is to deliver something of real quality that grows with the community.'
