To: ALDI Real Estate and Market Development Team

We, the residents, families, business owners, and visitors of Western Maryland, are coming together with one clear message: our region needs an ALDI grocery store in Oakland, Maryland.

Why This Matters to Us

Western Maryland is a beautiful, rural region of the state with a combined population of roughly 250,000 people across Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. Many of us make long drives — often 30 minutes or more — just to find affordable groceries and fresh produce because the limited store options in our area are often more expensive and farther apart.

Real Traffic = Real Customer Demand

U.S. Route 219 is one of our busiest regional corridors, serving local commuters, tourists visiting Deep Creek Lake and Wisp Resort, and travelers heading between states. Traffic data confirms this road carries significant daily vehicle volumes, with counts over 10,000 vehicles per day near Oakland and projected growth to more than 18,000 vehicles daily by 2026. 

This steady flow reflects people actually moving through our region — locals heading to work or school, families pulling trailers to the lake, visitors on fall foliage trips, seniors on errands, service vehicles, and more. Every one of those vehicles represents a family that could benefit from affordable, high-quality groceries offered by ALDI.

Tourism Drives Grocery Demand

Western Maryland is a year-round travel destination. Deep Creek Lake and surrounding state parks attract visitors for boating, skiing, hiking, festivals, and vacations. Garrett County alone welcomes more than 1.4 million visitors annually, many of whom stay in short-term rentals or vacation homes and need to stock kitchens for multi-day stays.

But right now, there’s no easy, affordable grocery option near many of these vacation hotspots. We want ALDI — a brand tourists recognize and trust — to help fill that gap.

What an ALDI Would Bring

An ALDI in Oakland would:

 • Provide affordable grocery options for families, seniors, and workers across Western Maryland

 • Serve as a convenient stop for tourists and visitors stocking up for extended stays

 • Create local jobs and year-round employment opportunities

 • Bring economic growth and retail synergy to downtown Oakland and surrounding communities

Our Community Speaks Up

We are not just signing a petition. We are telling ALDI that:

❤️ We live here.

🛒 We shop here — or wish we could shop here.

🚗 We travel through here every day.

🌄 We bring our guests here.

📈 And we see real, sustainable demand for a grocery store that respects our budgets and families.

An ALDI in Oakland won’t just be a store. It will be a community cornerstone — a place where neighbors, visitors, and regional families find value, quality, and welcome.

Sign Below to Support Our Region’s Future

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that ALDI’s U.S. Real Estate and Market Development team evaluate Oakland, Maryland as a potential store location. Our community is ready — and we believe this store would thrive here.

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