The city of Auburn welcomed four new shops into its commerce during this year’s holiday season with new bites and brands for the community.
On Jan. 9 at 8:45 a.m., Aldi opened its doors at 1617 South College Street in the Tiger Crossing Shopping center where Winn Dixie was previously located. Known for its Aldi-exclusive brands and unique customer experience, the German-owned grocery retailer has built a dedicated and widespread fan base with over 2,000 stores in the U.S. alone.
From fresh produce to meats to household staples, Aldi sells a variety of goods at an affordable price. Most of Aldi’s packaged items are from brands like Clancy’s and Appleton Farms which can only be found at their store fronts.
Shoppers who have never been to an Aldi before should know that Aldi does not provide plastic bags at checkout or hire employees to manage the cart return. Rather, Aldi sells paper bags and locks their carts with a coin slot to encourage customers to purchase a recycled grocery bag and return their carts to the front.
Smalls Sliders, a cheeseburger joint, opened on Dec. 27 at 1251 Opelika Rd. Smalls Slider’s simple menu offers single meat sliders, fries, milkshakes and double meat sliders known as “Biggie Smalls”.
The building is a standout in Auburn with its unique use of a shipping container for its space and bright orange paint. Customers can choose to order at the drive-thru, walk-up window or online.
A single patty cheeseburger slider combo with french fries and a drink starts at $6.79, while shakes go for around $5-8 from your choice of a small, medium or large.
The Auburn store is the first Smalls Sliders to open in Alabama, and there are many more to come to the state. According to Assistant General Manager Ayza Castro, the company plans to open around 15 more locations throughout Alabama.
“We're excited to bring a new company into Auburn and be a part of the college community and bring more energy and sliders to Auburn,” Castro said.
Smalls Sliders hosted its grand opening at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 18.
Auburn’s second Chipotle Mexican Grill opened on Dec. 17 at 1700 Opelika Rd.
Chipotle Mexican Grill is a fast-casual restaurant that aims to offer higher-quality food made in-house daily with fresher ingredients that do not use artificial flavors or frozen and canned goods. Chipotle swears by only using “53 ingredients you can pronounce”.
The Chipotle menu consists of bowls, burritos, tacos and other Mexican inspired foods. Most recently, the company has released a digital exclusive deal for three lifestyle bowls which are tailored for those with specific nutritional goals.
Auburn’s original location will still operate at 346 W Magnolia Ave in addition to the new store.
On Jan. 1, a build-your-own frozen yogurt shop known as SweetFrog hosted its grand opening at 1800 Samford Trce Ct. Offering low fat, no sugar and dairy free options, their menu includes a variety of yogurt options in addition to its classic flavors.
Sizes include 12 oz, 16 oz and 25 oz cups for $7, $9 and $11. Customers may choose up to three toppings from a choice of fresh fruits, candies, sauces and cereals can be added for no additional charge.
SweetFrog’s colorful interior and carton-frog decorations welcomes families and froyo lovers alike. Whether you’re searching for a light treat or a rich dessert, SweetFrog offers the Auburn area another dessert option.
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Jennifer Santiago, junior majoring in political science and minoring in history, has been with The Auburn Plainsman since Fall 2024. Santiago previously served as a news writer, and she is currently serving as the Lifestyle Editor.
