I'm all for Aldi's no matter where the location may be, but I'm super excited that they finally are breaking into the city limits with this store as well as the one on the SouthSide. This isn't really a typical Aldi when you come to merchandise and set up.
The merchandise is actually a little bit better. There appears to be more national brands here than at most other locations. I'm thinking it has something to do with nearby competition. Which is great, why buy the store brand when you can get the national brand for cheap? Also the layout of the store is a bit more flowing than most. Doesn't matter which way you enter the store; whether it be at the main entrance by the sidewalks or if you take the elevator from the parking garage. The store just flows and makes it easy to pick up the items you want.
Reminders: $.25 to use a cart, so take a quarter with you. Take a reusable bag, if not you will need to buy a bag at the store or take a box off the shelf. And last but not least, you have to bag your own groceries.
The whole reason I cannot give this place five stars is because of parking. I'm starting to believe that in order for you to have any type of establishment in Shadyside you have to have a horribly set up parking system. Yes, it is great that there is parking indoors, but you have to wait for the gate to rise if a car is exiting. And it's a narrow one lane up to the parking decks. What's worse, they may think you do not know how to read signs as they have parking attendants to tell you to wait, redundant is what it is.