On December 10, 2025, the German discount supermarket chain Lidl officially opened its doors at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Baltic Street, ending a years-long “grocery drought” in the neighborhood. The grand opening represents a major victory for local residents who fought to ensure the community remained affordable and accessible.
A Win for Community Organizing
The arrival of this 20,000-square-foot store is the direct result of tireless local activism. In 2015, when the Park Slope Key Food was planned to be demolished, FAC led the charge and organized the coalition of community groups and residents who organized for over a year to negotiate a community benefit agreement with the new developer of the site. The project was made possible by the “120 5th Avenue Community Benefit Agreement” (CBA) signed in 2017. The community stakeholder group that signed the CBA was comprised of the Boerum Hill Association, Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE), Gowanus Houses Tenants Association, Park Slope Business Improvement District, Park Slope Civic Council, Park Slope Neighbors, Park Slope North HDFC, Warren Street Houses Tenants Association, the Wyckoff Gardens Residents Association and FAC.
This landmark agreement, born from these organizing efforts, legally required the developer to include a “community-oriented supermarket” within the new mixed-use development to replace the former Key Food.
What the Store Offers
Lidl is known for its efficiency and high-quality goods at lower price points, including its famous 49-cent butter croissant. The store is fully accessible via elevators and escalators to accommodate all shoppers.
Impact on Neighbors
For many Park Slope and Gowanus residents, the store’s opening provides immediate financial relief as the store accepts SNAP and is designed to NYC FRESH standards.
The store is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Read more about the Lidl grand opening in the Brooklyn Paper.
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