January 24, 2019
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
A large plant-based protein section is grouped in one location, a specific request from the neighborhood.
Giant Food Stotre's first foray into the urban-format concept begins Friday morning with a grand opening at the company's new Giant Heirloom Market location in Graduate Hospital.
The Carlisle, Pennsylvania-based brand has been around for nearly a century — it's now a subsidiary of Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize — and operates in four mid-Atlantic states.
Giant Heirloom Market represents one of Giant's most innovative decisions to date — a community-generated grocery store based on months of meetings with local residents.
Paul Madarieta, Giant Food's district director, was the catalyst behind the urban-style market. With more than 20 years of experience in the grocery industry, Madarieta saw an opportunity for the company to offer the brand's best assortment of products in an environment that suits the lifestyle and commercial reality of a city.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThe 9,500-square-foot Giant Heirloom Market will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m.
With previous experience at Trader Joe's, Madarieta is confident that Giant Heirloom Market will offer a similar but distinctive appeal.
"We worked through South of South Neighborhood Association and talked to groups of people in the area," Madarieta said.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceMurals throughout the market were created by Philly-based artist Ali M. Williams.
That's one of the reasons Giant Heirloom Market will have a full-time produce chef next to the deli and sandwich kitchen. The chef will be there to offer samples and help make dinner suggestions, often based on the produce customers bring up to the counter to be cut on the spot.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThe urban, small-format store in the Graduate Hospital neighborhood is a first for Giant.
"Sampling is going to be a big driver of what we try to do," Madarieta said. "We want to inspire people in the afternoon when they're starting to think about what they'll have for dinner."
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThe Giant Heirloom Market includes a do-it-yourself olive oil station, where customers can create their own flavor blends.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThere is a kombucha filling station featuring 3 different options.
Shoppers will notice products from local purveyors throughout the market, whether it's fresh bread from High Street on Market, pasta from Tallutos, One Village Coffee or Isgro Pastries.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThe Giant Heirloom Market has partnered with One Village Coffee of Souderton, PA.
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoiceThe market has a large wine selection with craft beer available at room temperature and chilled.
"We know that this process, this assortment and selection, is fluid and is going to change," Cordero said. "The endless aisles idea is just another avenue to get more food and more product to the customer. We're not a big place, so everything that we have on the shelf is important. If there's a miss somewhere and the customer tells us — or the data tells us — we're going to adapt and make moves. We're going to give the customers what they want."
Giant Heirloom Market will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m.-10 p.m at 2303 Bainbridge Street.
