Business

Lidl Grocery Comes to Ward 7

THE AFRO — It looks like Ward 7 will get a another grocery option as Mayor Muriel Bowser announced plans to bring Lidl Grocery to the Skyland Town Center.

Published

7 years ago

June 2, 2019

Oakland Post

By George Kevin Jordan

It looks like Ward 7 will get a another grocery option as Mayor Muriel Bowser announced plans to bring Lidl Grocery to the Skyland Town Center.

“Lidl is a fantastic grocery store – a grocery store that we are proud to be bringing to the residents of Ward 7,” said Mayor Bowser in a press conference. “Lidl knows what we know: Every corner of Washington, D.C. is a great place to do business. As we continue working to make our city’s prosperity more inclusive, this partnership is a reflection of the work we are doing to bring high-quality resources and amenities to every part of our city – amenities that will set our families and neighborhoods up for long-term success.”

Bowser along with Rappaport Development and WC Smith made the announcement this week during RECon, the yearly gathering of International Council of Shopping Centers, held in Las Vegas, NV. The Skyland Town Center is a sprawling 18-acre project located at the intersection of Good Hope Road, Alabama Avenue and Naylor Road, Southeast.

Lidl US, which is an international company, started in Ludwigshafen (25 miles south of Frankfurt) in 1973, according to the site. By the 1990s the store increased its imprint across Europe making its way to the US in 2017.

Today the company operates, 10,500 stores across 29 countries. They have 65 stores in nine states along the east coast. Lidl will utilize 29,089 square feet of the Skyland space. CVS will also make its home in the town center.

“We are committed to opening stores in the most convenient location for our customers,” said Johannes Fieber, CEO of Lidl US in a statement. “We selected Skyland Town Center because it offers District residents an easily accessible, convenient and visible site. Understanding the history of the site and the tremendous anticipation from the community, we look forward to building a store customized for the shoppers of Skyland Town Center.”

Landing Lidl was a collaborative effort between Rappaport and WC Smith, who spearheaded the retail and residential leasing, along with District Government, and others like Skyland D.C. and the Washington East Foundation, who have been on the Skyland redevelopment for 15 years.

“Lidl’s decision to locate at Skyland Town Center means that our future residents will have a top-quality supermarket at their doorstep,” says WC Smith CEO, Chris Smith. “WC Smith has long been active in this part of Southeast, Washington, as we manage 4,300 apartments in Wards 7 and 8. Having Lidl so conveniently located will provide a significant boost to the neighborhood and a much-needed service to the people who live there.”

The road to bringing an anchor store to Skyland has been a long one with many people grateful for this week’s news. Councilmember Vincent Gray (Ward-7) said in a press statement:

“I am pleased that Lidl U.S. will open one of its full-service grocery stores in Ward 7 at the Skyland Town Center. We have worked long and hard to bring a solid anchor to Skyland,” Gray wrote.

“This is a significant step toward providing more food options and helping to ensure the future of the East End as a desired location for retail and hospitality opportunities.

Since my return to the Council, I have introduced three East End bills focused on ending food deserts in Wards 7 and 8 by incentivizing greater economic development and bringing needed amenities to the East End. One of these bills targets nine development sites in Wards 7 and 8, including Skyland, for retail, restaurants and full-service grocery stores. Securing an anchor for Skyland after Walmart reneged on its commitment to open a store at Skyland is an incredible feat.”

Skyland Town Center will offer over 135,000 square feet of retail space and 450 to 500 residential apartments. About 263 apartments will open in 2020. Construction on the project started in 2015.

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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March 22, 2026

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC