(Photo: Coal Region Canary)
The GIANT supermarket in downtown Pottsville will close its doors for good on July 9.
That store is the only supermarket in the downtown Pottsville area and will create an urban food desert in the heart of the Schuylkill County seat.
The GIANT supermarket along Progress Avenue first opened its doors in November 1983, operating for nearly 37 years.
Downtown Pottsville Giant Supermarket Closing on July 9
In a statement released to The Canary on Friday afternoon, The GIANT Company said the downtown Pottsville location no longer made financial sense to keep open.
“The decision to close the store is the result of an ongoing assessment of our store fleet. Unfortunately, the store has not performed to our expectations and after exploring all potential options, none were deemed to be viable for the long term,” the company says. “Based on that and the performance of the store, it no longer makes financial sense to continue operating at this location.”
The GIANT Company operates 190 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The nearest GIANT location, of course, is at the Cressona Mall, about 3 miles from the downtown Pottsville store.
Ashley Flower, public relations manager at The GIANT Company, tells The Canary, “Closing a store is a difficult decision and never one we want to make. However, the newer and more modern Cressona GIANT really does offer a great shopping experience.”
Pottsville’s downtown GIANT location will close for good on Thursday, July 9, at 6 p.m.
Employees Offered Positions at Other GIANT Locations
(Photo: Coal Region Canary)
The supermarket in downtown Pottsville employed 68 people. GIANT says it offered employees from the Pottsville location a job at other stores nearby, including the location at the Cressona Mall, Hazleton, and Lehighton.
Closing the downtown GIANT location will certainly irk people who rely on it being in walking distance for them if they’re without reliable transportation.
“We hope customers will visit in Cressona, where they’ll see many familiar faces from our Pottsville location, including the current store manager, who is transferring. All team members were offered jobs at Cressona or other locations.”
ALSO READ:
- Schuylkill County Going to Green Phase on Wolf’s Coronavirus Plan on June 19
- Pennsylvania General Assembly, Governor Contradict on Disaster Emergency Resolution
- Schuylkill County Residents Keep Finding Bizarre Printed Message in Grocery Items
- Schuylkill County Man Took It Out at Pine Grove Business
- Wolf on Mask Requirement for Businesses – “They’re Not Required.”
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...
Robert J Truck
June 13, 2020 at 8:20 am
I think that this is extremely serious and is there an alternative in place? Some people walk to this store
Growing up Pottsville had three Acme(s) as of July 9th there won’t be any supermarkets
admin
June 13, 2020 at 8:26 am
Agreed. As we noted, this will create what’s called a food desert in downtown Pottsville. People who generally walk to the downtown Giant must find some form of transportation to get to the Boyers on the west end of town or to the Giant store in Cressona or the Weis up at the Pottsville Park Plaza. It does create an opportunity for some entrepreneur who may want to try and open a grocery on their own but that’s not an easy business to enter. It’s sad, really. Food’s aplenty in Schuylkill County — beef, chicken, pork, small produce are everywhere — but not right in the middle of the county seat.
Wendy
June 13, 2020 at 9:16 pm
This is sad, people rely on that stoe for their meals, not deserts thats why we have mama millies. I think the road collapse is more the problem for people. May be use half grocery half desert.when will this town start thinking of the people that arent as fortunate. Also i cant tell you how many people say cressona giant cost much more! Hazelton and lehigh are big driving differences for those offered jobs.try and rethink this or put an aldis or something there for people.
Mary
June 13, 2020 at 10:09 pm
Dessert=treat eaten after a meal
Desert=area with no vegetation, usually made up of sand. Food desert used as expression for areas with no grocery stores.
admin
June 13, 2020 at 11:16 pm
Thanks, Mary. That comment slipped through the cracks and we didn’t have a chance to reply. Appreciate you being diplomatic lol
Rob
June 13, 2020 at 6:12 pm
I agree this is sad and will be detrimental to some people however I doubt anything anyone says is going to cause ignorant corporate management who made this decision to revert. This store has been a staple for me and my entire family since it opened. There’s Boyers IGA across town but their prices are already horrendous and I predict due to Giant closing they’re going to up their already expensive prices even more. Brok-sel on market street and the Provision are good alternatives for deli products but as far as other groceries closing this store is going to make a bigger negative impact on our community. We also have Wies market on 61 but that isn’t going to be as convenient or safe for people to get to as this Giant has always been. The corporate people don’t care about any of that even if they have considered it.
My question is: what are they going to do with the buindling?
Lorrie
June 13, 2020 at 8:39 am
Looks like many Pottsville residence will be going to Weis Markets now. Certainly not in walking distance for those living downtown but it’s a closer alternative than going to Cressona. It’s a shame the store will be closing and making it so difficult for for the ppl who don’t drive to get groceries. It looks like Giant Foodstore is just out for the all mighty buck instead staying true to its community. Sad.
admin
June 13, 2020 at 8:58 am
It’s sad, yes. But grocery stores are a business, not a charity.
Rob
June 13, 2020 at 6:25 pm
Boyers and Weis are extremely expensive compared to Giant for the same exact items. People will not only have to find a way to pay for transportation they wont be able to afford as much.
Jess
June 13, 2020 at 10:52 am
Would love to see a local grocer open to offer local deals, similar to Bills produce.
Brian
June 13, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Someone should call Horning’s in Bethal and inquire to them about opening a store in Pottsville. I know a lot Schuylkill county people that go down to Horning’s.
admin
June 13, 2020 at 5:10 pm
That’s not a bad idea at all. Will pass that on to someone who might be able to get the ball rolling if it’s possible.
Caiven
June 13, 2020 at 6:54 pm
I avoided going there since they over charge for everything, but they were good for a few things, and the locals who walk there are going to be in terrible trouble now. I hope a good food store replaces them.
John
June 15, 2020 at 1:58 am
Why the heck would you close down Giant. Its the only food source for many people and not everyone has transportation. That Giant is literally right in the downtown area and many people walk to it. Someone needs to do a petition this move will hurt many people. Do they not realize pottsville is generally a poor area anyways theres no way they made that much of a financial gain in the past years.
Roy Silfies
June 15, 2020 at 9:50 am
It shows that people care about the less fortunate with the suggestions above. Maybe Bill’s Produce would consider giving it a try in Pottsville for those who have no transportation. He has the most reasonable prices around for many items.
Scott Lucas
June 16, 2020 at 8:23 pm
Now here is a crazy thought, but why not ask Dollar General to move from the spot that they are, into the Giant and they can expand their grocery stuff and their other products, their current location is only the next block over and their aisle are always narrow.
Zackery
June 25, 2020 at 2:37 pm
This is just a big FU to Pottsville and the people that do not have transportation like myself.
Bob
July 1, 2020 at 4:51 pm
will the Rats be offered a new position in the cressona stores backroom,or just move onto another Pottsville location?
Canary Commenter
July 1, 2020 at 5:14 pm
Pics or it didn’t happen.
Bob
July 2, 2020 at 5:17 pm
Sorry no pics-
Maybe instead of saying it will go away(Covid)
Trump could say pics or it never happened?
Canary Commenter
July 2, 2020 at 5:54 pm
You must do a lot of stretching to reach that far.
The Skook Girl
August 3, 2020 at 11:27 am
My first job.