KHTS attended ALDI’s soft opening ahead of its grand opening Thursday, speaking with shoppers and store officials, taking a few pictures.

Santa Clarita shoppers began to filter in and out of the new German discount supermarket chain ALDI, which held a soft opening Wednesday for its new Newhall location.

The grand opening took place Thursday, with a line stretching around the block in anticipation of the new grocer.

The store replaces a Ralphs that was located at Old Orchard Village Road and Lyons Avenue.

Today the store had an open house event with a grand opening scheduled for Thursday.

“We believe that this market is going to be extremely excited for us,” said Sammi Tannor, district manager for the SCV’s first ALDI. “We are certainly excited to be here.”

Related: Aldi Grocery Chain Set For Santa Clarita Debut

The open house witnessed a huge number of customers who came to shop household essentials and grocery items.

(Click here for our Facebook photo album with more photos.)

They were warmly welcomed by the ALDI staff and store had various free samples to offer them.

“We really just try to focus on our business,” Tannor said, when asked about the stiff competition among supermarkets for customer loyalty. “Our groceries are offered at an incredible price that would draw customers in who perhaps shop it at different places.”

Last year, ALDI announced to open 45 stores in Southern California, making Wednesday’s soft opening part of a much bigger plan.

“(Thursday’s) event is something we have been looking on for a while, it is our grand opening event,” Tannor said. “We are giving away free samples of eco bag, we are also giving golden tickets to first 100 customers in line, this will be a gift card — it will up to $100 value.”

ALDI will have a week full of activities for its customers starting Friday, with a cornhole event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., winners will get gift cards for shopping at ALDI.

On Saturday, there will be a face painter and a balloon twister and on Sunday, there will be a free Ice Cream truck for the shoppers.

“ We have something called double quality guarantee,” Tannor said. “It means anyone who tries our privately labeled product and is not 100 percent satisfied can return it, they get a full refund and can also buy another product for free.”

The store opens from 9 am to 9 pm every day. Hope SCV residents will enjoy a new range of products and have a great shopping experience.