Giant to Debut 2-Level Flagship Store in Downtown Philly
Giant Food Stores has revealed plans to build a two-level urban flagship Giant store in downtown Philadelphia by the Schuylkill River. Coming in the wake of the chain’s launch of Giant Heirloom Market, the move marks the further acceleration of Giant’s ambitious growth strategy.
The project kicked off with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new Riverwalk mixed-use development, which will house the 65,000-square-foot store. Present at the event were Giant Food Stores President Nicholas Bertram, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, and Ron Caplan, president of Philadelphia-based PMC Property Group.
“Like the city of Philadelphia, Giant continues to grow and innovate – becoming part of this new incredible Riverwalk project helps cement our commitment to Philadelphia,” noted Bertram. “We’ve always been dedicated to bringing quality groceries to the people of our home state of Pennsylvania, but this new Philadelphia store – as well as our new Giant Heirloom Markets throughout the city – represent the future of Giant: fresh solutions for the way families live now.”
Boasting an innovative two-level format, the store will be located in the first of two towers under development at 60 North 23rd Street by PMC in the Logan Square neighborhood, within walking distance of Center City. Architectural features will include dramatic, high, open ceilings in a first-floor glass lobby permitting city and river views, an outdoor terrace where customers can enjoy foods and beverages, and a dedicated on-site parking garage available exclusively to store customers.
The location’s produce department will feature more than 600 varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on local. Inspired by Giant’s Heirloom Market, the store will cultivate community vendor partnerships with Philadelphia-area food purveyors. Additionally, the supermarket will offer the chain’s largest plant-based food department.
Customers can choose to order their groceries online for curbside pickup via Giant Direct, Powered by Peapod, the banner’s online grocery service that also offers delivery.
The store is slated to open by fall of 2020 and will create 200-plus jobs in Philadelphia.
The Riverwalk store project is in addition to a $70 million investment Giant unveiled in April 2018 to grow its store network across Pennsylvania by building six new stores, remodeling two locations and opening four new fuel stations through the end of this year. The grocer will soon open a new store in East Stroudsburg and plans to open two more Giant Heirloom Markets in the Philadelphia communities of Northern Liberties and Queen's Village, joining the Heirloom Market locations already operating in Graduate Hospital and University City.
There are currently 158 Giant stores in the state of Pennsylvania, employing nearly 29,000 associates.
Carlisle, Pa.-based Giant Food Stores operates 181 stores, 132 pharmacies, 102 fuel stations, more than 106 online pickup hubs and a grocery delivery service across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, with more than 32,000 associates. The Giant Food Stores family of brands encompasses Giant, Martin’s Food Markets, Giant Heirloom Market, Giant Direct and Martin’s Direct. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 4 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
