May 29, 2016
As every shopper at Reading Terminal Market knows, planning a 20-minute mission almost always unravels into an hour or more of perusing and picking up irresistible items. It's the nature of the beast and it's money well spent.
To further assist customers, General Manager Anuj Gupta will provide a pair of new services to ease the burden of hauling around groceries while scanning for the rest of what's on your list.
On Saturday, the market debuted a concierge storage service that allows shoppers to temporarily store their groceries in a refrigeration unit or a dry shelf. On weekends, free of charge, customers can now place their bags in a designated area at the back of the market near The Head Nut and City Kitchen.
"Sometimes on Saturday, you see people struggling with three to four bags, and there's no need for them to do that anymore," Gupta told the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Storage will be available Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In the coming weeks, Reading Terminal Market also plans to debut a valet service that will allow customers to pay for their goods, temporarily park and then have their bags brought out to them from the concierge storage space. The initiative, a partnership with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, is expected to receive approval soon as officials establish an appropriate loading zone for customers with cars.
Gupta, who said the new services are all about providing convenience, is in the midst of a market renewal since taking the helm as GM last summer. In addition to a variety of capital improvements that will benefit merchants, Reading Terminal Market last July received a $160,000 national grant to transform Filbert Street into a more creative and lively atmosphere.
