Cove Terrace active, but no ALDI to occupy center

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

Speculation has swirled among some Covites that the California-based grocery store, ALDI, could be opening a location in Copperas Cove in the near future. 
However, that’s not the case, according to Karla Waddleton, Rosenberg division vice president for ALDI, who responded to a query from the Leader-Press about rumors of a store opening in Copperas Cove.
“We do not have plans at this time to open a store in the area you are inquiring about,” Waddleton stated last Friday. “We encourage local residents to visit our nearby store in Killeen, located at 2500 E. Central Expressway.”
Waddleton said the company looks at several factors when selecting a site for a new store, to include population density, cost of the property and traffic patterns. 
“The timing from site selection to opening a store varies by location.  Our focus is on our customers, as we work to make sure our stores are conveniently located for our growing customer base,” Waddleton said. 
One of the locally rumored locations for an ALDI in Copperas Cove was in Cove Terrace shopping center, which has had Bealls department store as an anchor for decades. 
Jennie Snelling, with Quine Associates, manages Cove Terrace Shopping Center and is actively working to bring businesses into the shopping center with the upcoming departure of Bealls.
“Bealls’ planned departure is in October,” said Snelling. “I am still working on various businesses to come in, a 4,500 (square foot) clothing store, a fitness center and some others.”
Bealls will be moving east to the Five Hills Shopping Center after construction of the space there is completed. Family Dollar will soon be leaving for its new location on North 1st Street. 
As far as new business coming into Cove Terrace, Snelling said she’s working to bring another restaurant into the location of the former Bek-Iz Restaurant. 
There is also a Micronesian gifts, food and clothing store that Snelling said is “opening soon,” although a date for that store opening hasn’t been determined at this time. 
Currently the 161,795-square-foot shopping center is 83 percent full. Available suites range in size from 600 square feet to 3,200 square feet.