GREENFIELD – Eighteen months after the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a special permit for the construction of an Aldi discount supermarket, the business announced that it expects to open its doors in June.

Qrentis Burrell, a spokesperson for ALDI, wrote in an email to the Recorder Thursday that the chain expects to open its first Greenfield location “in June.” A sign outside the 220 Mohawk Trail location states that the grocery store will open its doors June 26.

“We are excited to confirm that our first store in Greenfield is expected to open in June,” Burrell wrote. “At this time we do not have any additional information to share, but will stay close in the coming weeks as more updates are made available.”

The 6.5-acre property, located west of Interstate 91 behind McDonald’s with frontage on Robbins Road, was formerly owned by Benderson Development, according to Matthew Oates of Benderson Development.

The 19,400-square-foot grocery store on the site of the now-demolished Candlelight Motor Inn is planned to include 97 parking spaces, accommodations for bicycle racks and e-commerce pick-up. Planners have previously said the building would be “solar-ready.”

In past ZBA meetings, concerns for the store’s traffic impact were raised, as well as the potential impact a new grocery store would have on local businesses. Others, meanwhile, have advocated for the affordability Aldi, a Germany-based chain, would offer residents.

In an interview Wednesday, Greenfield Business Association Director Hannah Rechtschaffen said she believed the new business would add to the city’s “ecosystem,”explaining that the new supermarket is expected to bring more people into the city, where they’re likely to spend money at other local businesses.

Rechstchaffen added that business’ attraction to Greenfield was a hopeful sign for the city’s economic growth.

“I think it’s an important part of the ecosystem,” Rechtschaffen said. “Any time we see a business like Starbucks or Aldi coming in, it indicates to us that businesses are seeing market data that makes them want to expand to Greenfield.”

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.