Lidl opens new branch on one of Prague's most luxurious shopping streets

Supermarket chain Lidl has opened a new store on Prague’s Na Příkopě Street, a location that mainly houses outlets for trendy designer labels.

“We opened a new, atypical store in the very heart of Prague, in Na Příkopě Street. Several interesting elements have been preserved in the store. One of the rarities is the original safe, which dates from the period when the building belonged to the Československá obchodní banka,” Lidl ČR announced on Twitter.

In terms of rent, Na Příkopě Street is one of the world’s most expensive streets. Consulting company Cushman & Wakefield ranked 18th most expensive in the world in 2019 but has not released new global figures since then.  

The new branch is aimed at people making smaller purchases rather than doing a large weekly shopping. The grocery store covers an area of 1,140 square meters.

“We believe that the new store will make life easier, especially for residents of adjacent neighborhoods, but also for employees and visitors to the capital city center who do not have access to grocery stores in their immediate area,” Lidl spokesman Tomáš Myler said in February when the store was announced.

The store has unusually wide alleys to prevent crowding. It also offers free Wi-Fi and a coffee machine.

Lidl has also just started testing self-service checkout, something that is common at rival chains. This is the second branch to use it, with eight self-service stations in addition to staffed registers. Lidl first offered self-service checkout on six stations in Prague 4. The Lidl chain currently operates a total of 294 stores in the Czech Republic.

The building on the corner of Na Příkopě and Panská streets, which also houses a Hamley's toy store, was renovated about 10 years ago by Immofinanz and Lordship. It offers commercial and office space.

In the past, a house called U Tří lip stood on this site, where the writer Božena Němcová died in 1862. A bust and historical plaque are on the side of the building. In the 1930s, the was replaced by a new building, which became the headquarters of the Československá obchodní banka.