A ribbon cutting of a new grocery store is an exciting moment for any small city the size of Loxley.

But this ribbon cutting is all that and a bag of chips...

A bag of Aldi chips, to be exact.

"We are the newest city in Baldwin County because of Aldi and folks like this moving in and the growth. It's really a great day for Loxley."

Mayor Richard Teal is so excited because this isn't a grocery store, but the 26th distribution center and regional headquarters for all the new Aldi stores that have opened or will open along the Gulf coast.

"So, what this means for us is that we're able to continue our expansion on the Gulf Coast. This facility will service stores on the panhandle, all the way to Louisiana."

...says Heather Moore, vice president of Aldi's Loxley, Alabama a division. Of course a building like this will need people to work in it-

"Right now, we've already created 120 jobs right here at this distribution center,” she says, “and eventually we will grow to 200 full time opportunities at the Loxley Distribution Center."

This is here because Aldi is opening more stores, like the one under construction in Fairhope, set to open in march... and this one that recently opened on Airport Blvd. in Mobile... each creating 15 to 20 news jobs.

But Loxley hit the jackpot, says Mayor Teal, who sees what's happened to his neighboring towns when a distribution center like this arrives.

"It will improve the quality of life for Loxley residents, hopefully, better infrastructures, and, maybe down the road, some new soccer fields and things like this when you have people participating in our community."

Big dreams? Yes.

But this... is a pretty big deal.