We accomplished a lot in 2016. We staged a storefront improvement contest, the second annual Battle and festival, and a beautiful installation of trees and shrubs in the median near S. Hairston and Redan. All of these things were made possible by the volunteer efforts and contributions of many residents and business owners.
The year ended on a particularly happy note for me when I received a Community Hero award, given by CEO Burrell Ellis. Thank you Nadi
ne Rivers-Johnson and Pauline Dailey for nominating me. Several friends attended the Dec. 27 awards ceremony, and it was a pleasure to be there with them.
We wil
l continue working to make this area one that attracts high quality businesses. I look forward to 2017, and I encourage readers to get involved with our community.
The next meeting of the Greater Hidden Hills Community Development Corporation is Jan. 21, 10 a.m., at Mainstreet Community Center, 5001 Mainstreet Park, Stone Mountain, 30088. Join us to discuss our next streetscape beautification plans and zoning requests in the area.
Public Meeting on a New Lidl Grocery Store
A grocery store called Lidl is asking for a zoning change on 5.4 acres at 6038 Covington Highway (near LA Fitness; currently Wings of a Dove Christian Academy). The developers are holding a public meeting January 4, 6:30 p.m., at the Redan-Trotti Library (1569 Wellborn, Lithonia), to discuss the proposal. Please join us for this public meeting.
The developer provided the following information:
“Lidl US regarding its proposal to develop a grocery store on property located at 6038 Covington Highway in DeKalb County. Lidl currently operates nearly 10,000 stores in 26 countries throughout Europe. It is part of the Schwarz Group, which is the largest retailer in Europe and one of the largest in the world. Lidl has a simple philosophy – focusing on offering customers top quality fresh goods and grocery products at the most competitive pricing in convenient locations. While customers receive amazing savings by choosing Lidl’s own great quality brands, they can still shop for their favorite branded goods, available at competitive prices.”
Right now, the property is zoned commercial and mixed use. The developers want to change it to commercial.
Greater Hidden Hills 
If Lidl can’t be built on Covington Hwy, I hope that one can be built near it or other South DeKalb areas.
At least where I live,there are no great grocery stores and the one that I live near basically said that my community didn’t need a nice one ( grocery store) because the then owner stereotyped the area as
” non nice” and that it wasn’t like Buckhead.Even the NAACP protested his remarks.
I’ve been in the Lidl in Snellville and it has become one of my favorite grocery shopping destinations.The food is reasonable,fresh and a bakery that have good cookies ( lol!). Let me also add that Lidl is clean and doesn’t smell like something died in it.
I don’t know if Lidl will come to fruition in South DeKalb but if it does,I’ll be happy and I will shop there. Lidl is not only a reasonable store but a store with class.