Aldi’s ‘aisle of shame’ is a middle row of goodies that have nothing to do with groceries. Shoppers are huge fans of it

Caitlyn Pratt is an avid Aldi shopper, so much so that she crosses state lines a few times a month to drive 45 minutes to the nearest one in neighboring Arkanas.

Caitlyn Pratt is an avid Aldi shopper, so much so that she crosses state lines a few times a month, driving 45 minutes from her home in Heavener, Oklahoma to the nearest Aldi in neighboring Arkansas. The distance doesn’t bother her if it means she can do these three things: Stay within budget for her household needs, skip Walmart, and most importantly, indulge in a fun little affordable treasure hunt in a place that Aldi superfans have dubbed the “aisle of shame.” Aldi, a privately-held German discount grocer that touts a Walmart-like sales pitch of everyday low prices, has operated in the US since 1976 when it opened its first store in Iowa. It operates more than 2,000 stores nationwide and 12,000 stores worldwide. Inside every Aldi store is a single aisle of merchandise that mostly has nothing to do with groceries. The retailer describes it as “a rotating assortment of specialty items available for a very limited time.” It could be anything from a garden hammock to a furry sweater for your pooch. The prices are startling, with many of these items costing just a few bucks. Aldi calls it the “Aldi Finds” aisle. Superfans have a more colorful alternative for it – the “aisle of shame.” Novice shoppers to the grocery chain might think it’s a mishmash of randomly selected stuff shoved into the shelves, sometimes spilling onto the floor after a wave of customers descend on a Wednesday morning and make a beeline for the one item that week that went viral. But often the products are carefully selected and seasonally timed to meet what customers are already looking for.