East Norriton Genuardi's to Close June 9
No word yet on when new owners Weis Markets will be opening up.
Norristown Patch reported earlier this year on the sale of several area Genuardi's locations, including the one on West Germantown Pike in East Norriton. That location is slated to close this Saturday, June 9. New owners Weis Markets have yet to give an official word on an opening date, but sources say the new store is expected to open sometime by end of summer if all goes according to plan. The West Norriton Genuardi's location on West Main Street (not included in the Weis purchase) closed March 10 and remains vacant.
In the meantime, the East Norriton Genuardi's is clearing out its stock of Safeway brand products and all of its produce at prices slashed up to 30%. The rest of the store's stock of national brand products are being absorbed by Weis in the sale.
Store employees reported late Sunday night that stocks of the sale items are dwindling, but there are still deals to be had this week. Stop by and say goodbye to the old girl before she shutters her doors for good.
While we may be losing a piece of Norristown-area history (the Genuardi family started it's supermarket empire with it's first store in Norristown in 1954), we're gaining what some area residents consider a top-knotch grocery store. Just read some of the comments by our readers on the news of the sale:
"Weis markets are cool places to shop. They reach out to their customer base..." – andy
"I shop at Weis in lansdale and it's a terrific store. They had a major overhaul in the last few months and their selections are great. The people who work there are very nice and their bakery has some beautiful pastries and cakes. I am so glad they are taking over genuardis." – Meg C
"Our goal is to offer customers the best combination of value, quality and service, and while there are other local produce programs out there, when you read the fine print, you see that it comes from within a six-hour drive of the communities they serve," Dennis Curtin, Weis Markets' Director of Public Relations told The Times Herald. "We don’t play those kind of games. When we say we buy local we mean it. And that’s not just in produce. Our Weis Quality Milk virtually all comes from Pennsylvania dairies. Our eggs come from Lancaster County. We buy tremendous amounts of pork and ham from suppliers in Berks and Lancaster counties, which is one of the top agricultural production counties in the U.S."
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Louie
7:17 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
In no way does Weis compare with Genuardi's, Giant or any other major retail supermarket. Visited 2 to see what to expect and was sorely disappointed. Found a complete lack of variety. Their Deli/pre-made foods selection was dismal. If they close Genuardi's and do not re-open until "sometime by end of summer" their marketing folks are going to end up with egg on their faces. Based on what I've seen, if you allow your former Genuardi's customers to shop at Giant/Acme etc. for two months, the won't like what they see when Weis re-opens.
James Myers
7:54 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
That's disappointing. I've never shopped at a Weis and was looking forward to it based on the comments. I'll still visit when it opens. I'd like to see it in action.
Maria Panetta
9:17 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
I have a family member that works there. The Weis is supposed to open on June 16
Louie
12:16 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Good to hear, Maria. That makes a lot more sense. I'll check it out in hopes that it will have a better selection than the two I visited but I don't really have high hopes. :-(
James Myers
10:04 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
Thanks for the tip, Maria! The folks at Weis are being pretty tight-lipped about the whole thing.
KEN FENNAL
10:09 am on Monday, June 4, 2012
How will the employment status change, when Weiss Supermarket(s) open, officially? Will there be less employees? Will more part-time employees that don't own and or rent, fill these jobs, thus creating more economic issues, long-term, by not employing homeowners and renters that live in Norristown and or surrounding areas? That's great to have parttime summer jobs, but they don't pay taxes (in most cases) such as school taxes, since most of them will probably be living with their parents.
What type of taxes will Weiss be paying, as a corporate entity, to the NASD, Norristown and Montgomery County?
James L. Holland Jr.
6:00 pm on Monday, June 4, 2012
Weis Markets will not be there long in The East Norriston Store
James L. Holland Jr.
Norristown
Flo Smerconish
1:24 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Weis does NOT hire folks over 55. Do NOT shop Weis. They discriminate and have higher prices and inferior private label compared to ShopRite. To hell with them.