Lidl to Open Belair Road Store December 16
The German discount grocer has set a Wednesday, December 16 opening for its store at 5950 Belair Road in Northeast Baltimore.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Lidl plans to open its Belair Road store at 5950 Belair Road in Baltimore on Wednesday, December 16, on the site of the former Bi-Rite Supermarket. The building had sat empty for nearly three years.
Why it matters
The opening brings a new grocery option to a Northeast Baltimore corridor after the former Bi-Rite site stood vacant. The city's Mayor's Office said it found no infrastructure problems or safety concerns that would prevent the store from opening.
The store at 5950 Belair Road was empty for nearly three years after receiving its use and occupancy permit in January 2023. Lidl cited refrigeration and supply chain issues at the site in 2024, and the reason for the full delay remains unexplained.
The players
Lidl
Lidl is a German discount grocery chain with stores across Europe and a growing U.S. footprint.
Danielle McCray
Danielle McCray is a Baltimore City Councilwoman who spoke about the Lidl site's history.
The details
Councilwoman Danielle McCray said a Lidl representative pointed to refrigeration and supply chain issues at the site in 2024 as the cause of the delay. Lidl also signed a lease to replace Streets Market at Yard 56 on Eastern Avenue, though the source does not detail that project's timeline.
Timeline
January 2023: The Belair Road building received its use and occupancy permit, and its exterior went largely unchanged afterward.
2024: Lidl cited refrigeration and supply chain issues at the site.
Wednesday, December 16: The Lidl store at 5950 Belair Road is scheduled to open.
Legal Context
The building received its use and occupancy permit in January 2023, yet the store did not open for nearly three years afterward. That gap between permit approval and opening underscores how long vacant commercial sites in Baltimore can sit before reuse.
Baltimore shoppers in Northeast Baltimore will gain a new discount grocery option when the store opens December 16. The store's opening could affect household grocery budgets for residents near Belair Road.
The takeaway
A long-vacant Belair Road building is set to reopen as a grocery store, a reminder that permitted commercial space can sit idle for years before use. Residents tracking neighborhood retail can watch the December 16 opening date.
What happens next
The Lidl Belair Road store is scheduled to open Wednesday, December 16.
Further reading
For more retail openings and closures around the city, see Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WMAR.
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