One might think that a drive up north to the Lehigh Valley would alleviate the grocery schizophrenia we experience in the Philadelphia market. Not so. Apparently, Lehigh Valley consumers need a scorecard – not to mention a pencil with a good eraser – to keep track of the industry players and their comings and goings.
Coming:
- Bottom Dollar currently has four locations in The Valley, and may have as many as seven in the next year.
- Weis Markets has increased its budget for adding and updating stores, according to a company spokesperson. The grocer currently has 14 locations in The Valley and will soon have 16, second only to Giant.
- Giant, with 17 locations in The Valley, has been spending money on renovations at a number of area stores.
- A ShopRite is proposed in Trexlertown, along with a Target and BJ’s.
- Walmart is a major player in the area, of course, and the Whitehall location will soon become a Supercenter and include a full-service grocery store.
- Three of the four Target stores in The Valley include a Fresh Grocery section.
- Dollar stores and drug stores continue to expand their grocery selections.
Going:
- Pathmark shut its location in Lower Saucon, which is causing residents and reporters to speculate as to who will take over the space.
- Wine kiosks – Wegmans is pulling PLCB wine kiosks from all its Pennsylvania stores, including Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, the three major cities in the Lehigh Valley (also known as A-B-E).
As always, I’m afraid something may have changed since I started writing this blog post.