The long-anticipated arrival of Lidl in Lightfoot has hit a snag.
Last April, European grocer Lidl proposed opening its first store in Greater Williamsburg, which would also have been one of the company’s first U.S. stores.
The company has since opened three stores in Virginia Beach and another in Norfolk, but has yet to break ground on the Lightfoot store they were proposing.
At the time, Lidl and consulting firm Kimley Horn began to seek a special use permit from James City County to construct the store on land currently occupied by Smith Memorial Baptist Church on Richmond Road in Lightfoot, across the street from the Gallery Shops.
Kimley Horn took the proposal before the county’s Development Review Board for preliminary consideration and feedback in April.
However, James City County planning staff say the proposal is now on hold.
The county’s planning division received an email from Kimley Horn on Dec. 7, according to Ellen Cook, principal planner.
“At this time, Lidl would like to table the application until further notice,” the email stated, according to Cook. She added the brief email did not go into more detail regarding why Kimley Horn and Lidl were pumping the brakes on the proposal.
Neither Kimley Horn nor Lidl responded to requests for comment.
Whether the proposal will regain traction remains to be seen. However, a new location for the store may have to be considered, as Elder Norman Neal told WYDaily, Smith Memorial Baptist Church is now undergoing renovation and will remain open in its current location.
“We are healthy,” Neal said. “We are now in renovation and plan on staying and having a good time there.”
Church leadership had put off renovation and maintenance projects on the property in anticipation of the move, Neal said. However, the church was informed in early November that Lidl’s contract to purchase the church was being terminated.
Lidl currently operates over 10,000 stores across 27 European countries and the company’s website states the brand been a “growing presence” in Europe over the past 40 years. The company announced plans in 2016 to open its first 100 stores in the United States.
WYDaily archives and SouthsideDaily archives were used in this article.
