Lidl makes ‘business decision’ to terminate Austintown property purchase

AUSTINTOWN — Property owners of a proposed site for a new Lidl grocery store location in Austintown were notified Nov. 7 that the company is terminating its contract for property purchase.

“The zoning office has been working closely with Lidl’s engineers for replat of those properties,” Trustee Jim Davis said. “We thought this was moving forward.”

Atty. Brian Ridder, who represents a property owner in the purchase contract, said “termination of the purchase was not legally justified under the contract.”

Ridder said the parties were near an approval date at the time of termination, and representatives from Lidl made a business decision to back out. He continued: “That was a decision that should have been made under the terms of the contract months ago,”

Lidl was in the process of purchasing two plots of land for consolidation, one formerly hosted the bar Pink Elephant, 6135 Mahoning Ave., which closed after 50 years of business. during Lidl’s and property owners’ dealings.

The Vindicator contacted Lidl and is awaiting comment.