If you haven’t yet heard, Safeway announced today that they are pulling out of the Phildelphia area, which means that all Genuardi’s stores will be closing.
I have to say, this doesn’t come as a shock to me. I used to shop at Genauardi’s years ago (when they were still a locally-owned company headquartered in Norristown – before Safeway bought them) and have seen a steady decline in the quality and service at the store for years.
According to this article, 16 of the stores will be sold to Giant.
The stores to be sold to Giant include those in Warwick, Newtown Township, Middletown, New Britain Township, Lower Moreland, Abington and Upper Gwynedd. They and the other stores — in West Chester, Marlborough, St. Davids, Springfield, Wynnewood, Flourtown, Spring House, King of Prussia and Maple Glen — will become Giant markets once the sale closes later this year.
Safeway also wants to sell eight more stores, including those in Doylestown and Evesham, N.J., and plans to close its stores in Exton, Royersford and Norristown.
(snip)
Rick Herring, president of Carlisle-based Giant, said Greater Philadelphia has been a good home for the chain.
“We’ve been successful all throughout Pennsylvania and in Philadelphia with providing a good customer experience and pretty good stores in the market,” Herring said in a phone interview. “These were areas that were underserved by us. We thought it was an opportunity to fill in our market in Philadelphia.”
Herring said Giant would consider Genuardi’s employees for open positions at its markets.
“We need people,” he said. “We hope to get a lot of good people, a lot of good Genuardi’s people. They’ve got good folks. We’re going to anticipate hiring a lot of them.”
So while I haven’t shopped at Genuardi’s more than a few times in the last 2 years (I think they are even more expensive than Wegman’s!), my heart goes out to the employees and managers of Genuardi’s stores….losing your job is a horrible thing to face and I wish them the best of luck!
What are your thoughts on Genuardi’s no longer being a part of the Philadelphia area?
I’m honestly sad to see them go. I didn’t love the coupon policy of my Genuardi’s (Royersford) but I always found great deals on clearance meat as well as other great deals during the year. I will admit that I didn’t do the bulk of my shopping there. In the 5 years that I’ve lived in the Royersford area we’ve lost a superfresh (still vacant), the limerick Acme (still vacant) and now Genuardi’s is leaving. I don’t have much choice but to shop at Giant (or drive a distance). I hope they have good deals.
I too am so sad to see them go. I to did not do a whole lot of shopping there but did go there for sale items and good deals they would have. Losing a grocery store means less competition, which stinks for shoppers pocketbooks! I feel so bad for all the employees as well!!
I have mixed feelings. I started shopping at the Royerford store after the Acme closed. I too could normally find a good deal on clearance stuff and found some great sales. But I did not always like how I was treated when using coupons. Still, I do feel bad about the employees losing their jobs. And I hate that Giant will be my only close option.
Add me to the list of those sad to see Genuardi’s go. I bounce between Giant, Acme, and Genuardis in the Spring House/Horsham/North Wales area. This change means that instead of having 2 Genuardis and 2 Giants within shopping distance, I’ll now have 4 Giants–and I hate their coupon policy. I hope the employees can all find jobs–there are some great folks at the 2 Genuardis in my area.
Goodness I will be sad to see them go as well. While I do shop at Giant I also shopped at Genaurdis for sales and specific items. I dont like Giants coupon policy. I find it interesting that they would keep the store in Warrington open yet want to sell the one in Doylestown. Im not sure who they would sell it to since we already have a Giant in town. If they would have just kept it the same instead of making so many changes and going downhill, I bet they would still be thriving in the area. I will be sad if Giant and Acme become the only options I have to grocery shop.
I just read the article an I guess Giant did take over the one in Warrington.. I must be thinking of Warwick.
I have to say, for me they had a very fine coupon policy compared to some. I guess I had better get more used to Giant.
I am sad to see them go. We have Giant, Acme, and Genuardis here, and I prefer Genuardis. Overall, I think they have better prices and deals than Acme. That surely has not always been the case, but I would say in the last year or so their sales are better. My local Acme used to be my main store, but the store is tired looking and the some of the employees just nasty. I like Giant, but Genuardis coupon policy is better. We also have a Bottom Dollar store nearby, and I do pick up certain items there. They take coupons, but do not double, and the selection is limited.
I guess I’m one of the few glad to see them go. Before they were bought out by Safeway they
were a great local chain. The Genaurdi’s that we used to shop at in Eagleville on Ridge Pike (now empty) was absolutely awful for the last year or two. Customer lines were a mile long with only a few aisles open while absent cashiers were grouped together in another area chatting away. Many of the shelves were completely bare of stock. The produce area looked like the dumpster behind a
restaurant. For the last few years we have shopped at Wegaman’s and Henning’s which far superior to the remaining Genaurdi’s.
Chris – I have to agree with you. I remember when Genuardi’s was still owned by the family and it was my favorite store. It was a little priciers, but the service was wonderful. Once Safeway bought them, it just started on a downward spiral from which it never recovered.
I’m very sad to see Genuardis go. I bet I’m in the same area as Debbie, because we have Acme/Giant/Bottom Dollar. Out of those, I did the best at Genuardis. My total bill was consistently smaller than the other stores. Matching their store coupons with manufacturers coupons always did well for me. Acme and Giant don’t have many store coupons like that. I’m going to miss them. I wonder what will happen to the East Norriton one? I haven’t seen it mentioned and there’s a Giant already very close by, so I’m assuming it will just close. BOO.