It should be cause for a public celebration: Lidl, the German-based supermarket company, plans to open its new location in Forsyth County on Wednesday, May 27, the company's 100th location in the U.S.

But due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, there will be no ribbon-cutting ceremony. Instead, the store, located at 2985 Peachtree Parkway, will have a soft opening and begin operation with many of the measures that grocery stores around the country have implemented to follow health guidelines.

Among the measures are daily enhanced cleanings, customer limits, social distancing signage and protective shields at registers. Employees will be required to wear face masks and gloves. 

In addition, the store will operate with adjusted hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday, with special shopping hours for seniors and immunocompromised customers from 7-8 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday.

(For a full list of measures in place at Lidl stores, visit their website.)

Still, starting next week, customers can shop at Lidl for fresh produce, meat, bakery items and household products at discounted prices.

“We congratulate Lidl and the residents of Suwanee on the grand opening of Lidl’s 100th store,” Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp said in a statement. “We are grateful for Lidl’s expanding investment in Georgia, and more than ever, we appreciate how important it is for Georgians to have access to high-quality food at an affordable price. We also appreciate the commitment of this store and so many others to maintain proper health guidelines so they can operate safely, keep people employed, and meet critical needs during COVID-19.” 

Lidl has been expanding its footprint in Georgia recently. Its supermarket in Forsyth County will be the company's sixth in Georgia. Lidl is also building a regional distribution center in Covington that promises to create 270 jobs.

“We are immensely proud of the Lidl US team, who has accomplished a tremendous amount in a few short years to bring us to this point,” said Johannes Fieber, President and CEO of Lidl U.S.  “The entire team is working hard to provide high quality, fresh products to our shoppers, and we see how important this is every day during this time of unprecedented need. Our team cannot wait to serve the community in Suwanee and continue to open new stores in the U.S.”