COVINGTON, Ga. – Shoppers braved threatening skies Thursday morning to be the first customers in line at the newly remodeled ALDI on Highway 142.

Surrounded by store employees, manager Melissa Townsend cut the ribbon to officially open the store. According to a press release from ALDI, the Covington store is part of a $1.6 billion investment to remodel and expand more than 1,300 stores nationwide.

The festivities included ALDI’s popular Golden Ticket giveaway offering free gift cards to the first 100 customers and a chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a year’s supply of ALDI produce.