CARLISLE, Pa. — GIANT Food Stores announced a new, two-level urban flagship GIANT store in downtown Philadelphia overlooking the Schuylkill River, furthering the company’s investments and commitment to the Philadelphia market. Coming on the heels of the company’s launch of GIANT Heirloom Market™, the new plan accelerates GIANT’S aggressive growth plan while investing in innovative customer experiences.
GIANT Food Stores President Nicholas Bertram, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, and PMC Property Group President Ron Caplanformally announced the project today and held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new Riverwalk development project, which will house GIANT’S new Philadelphia store.
“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,” explained Nicholas Bertram, president, GIANT Food Stores. “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.”
New Philadelphia Flagship Store Tailored to Downtown Shoppers
GIANT will accelerate its Philadelphia market growth with a 65,000-square-foot store in the new Riverwalk mixed-use development on the banks of the Schuylkill River. Incorporating 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 Property Group. Metro Commercial, one of the nation’s leading full-service, independent retail real estate firms, represented GIANT in the deal. The store is anticipated to open by fall of 2020 and will create more than 200 new jobs for the city.
“GIANT’S investment in Philadelphia and our many communities across Pennsylvania will not only enhance the quality of life for residents, it will also add quality jobs to the commonwealth’s economy. It’s great to see a company that started here in Pennsylvania continuing to grow and invest in our commonwealth and our workers,” said Secretary Davin.
Conveniently located in the Logan Square neighborhood within walking distance to Center City, the new GIANT will be nestled in Riverwalk’s Tower 1. Dramatic, high open ceilings will welcome customers into the first-floor glass lobby. Natural light and city views will enhance the shopping experience while an outdoor terrace will give customers a picturesque place to enjoy a glass of wine or beer and food. A dedicated onsite parking garage will be available exclusively to GIANT customers.
“GIANT has become an integral part of the Philadelphia region, both as a business serving our communities and as a tremendous partner to our area’s nonprofits. Not only has GIANT done a great deal to improve the health and wellbeing of Philadelphians over the years, its recent growth has also brought hundreds of high-quality jobs to our neighborhoods. The announcement of GIANT’S new flagship store is an exciting development for the city,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.
Store designers have planned a breathtaking produce marketplace bursting with over 600 varieties of fresh produce with local product being spotlighted. Inspired by GIANT Heirloom Market, the store will also feature community vendor partnerships with passionate Philadelphia-area food purveyors tempting and captivating shoppers. The store will boast the largest plant-based department in the company.
Busy urban customers can choose to order their groceries online for easy curbside pick-up with GIANT DIRECT, Powered by Peapod, the company’s online grocery service that offers pick-up and delivery. Available through the GIANT app or at giantdirect.com, GIANT recently announced more than 100 of its stores offer GIANT Direct.
“The features planned for the new Riverwalk GIANT speak directly to the needs and desires of our city demographic. We’re thrilled to offer our future residents and customers such an incredible and innovative amenity,” noted Ron Caplan, president of PMC Property Group.
Plans for the Riverwalk store highlight Philadelphia’s central role in the company’s recent growth strategy and is in addition to a $70 million investment GIANT announced in April 2018 to grow its store network across the Commonwealth by constructing six new stores, remodeling two locations and opening four new fuel stations through the end of this year. GIANT will soon open a new store in East Stroudsburg and has plans to open two more GIANT Heirloom Markets in the Philadelphia neighborhoods of Northern Liberties and Queen’s Village.
In 2018, GIANT celebrated its 95th Anniversary at Philadelphia’s City Hall with the unveiling of the first GIANT Heirloom Market in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood and more than $1 million in donations to Philabundance, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the USO. Since then, the company has kicked off its second season as the Official Grocer of the Philadelphia Phillies and opened its second GIANT Heirloom Market in the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia.
GIANT has 158 stores in the state of Pennsylvania and employs nearly 29,000 associates in the state.
About GIANT Food Stores, LLC
Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, GIANT Food Stores is passionate about building strong families and creating healthier communities for a better future. GIANT proudly serves millions of families across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. An omni-channel retailer, GIANT showcases the talents of its more than 32,000 associates at its 181 stores, 132 pharmacies, 102 fuel stations and over 106 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of zip codes. As a company that has deep community roots coupled with a purpose-driven culture, its associates believe in giving back to their community and over the last five years, GIANT, with the help of its customers and vendor partners, has proudly donated more than $100 million to local nonprofits. The GIANT Food Stores family of brands includes GIANT, MARTIN’S Food Markets, GIANT Heirloom Market, GIANT Direct and MARTIN’S Direct. GIANT Food Stores is a proud company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.
About PMC Property Group
PMC Property Group specializes in discovering unique opportunities in under-utilized and overlooked urban properties and transforming them into thriving landmark rental communities, commercial spaces, and mixed-use developments. Our team leverages decades of collective experience, informed market strategies, and a sound economic approach to create one-of-a-kind living and working experiences for our residents and commercial tenants and achieve the maximum level of return on investment for our valued partners and investors. To date, we have created more than 100 vibrant rental communities strategically situated in the most prominent metropolitan areas in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.
