A well-liked supermarket is scheduled to close next month, but shoppers are already looking forward to its replacement.
Officials have confirmed that the Shop 'n Save store in Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh, will close on May 13 and be replaced by an Aldi store.
Store Closes, Aldi to Take Over
A statement from the company, which operates over 70 outlets, announced that their decision to close follows an agreement with the property owner as their lease expires.
Shop 'n Save will be replaced by Aldi, a spokesperson told WTAE News.
The exact date when the new Aldi store will open has not yet been determined.
Shop n Save encourages employees from the closing store to seek employment at its other nearby locations.
Lori Moran, the vice president of Ballmoney Real Estate Services which owns the Lawrenceville Shopping Center, confirmed the upcoming changes in a prepared statement.
Moran announced that although the Shop'n Save store will be closing, the shopping center will continue to cater to the retail and service needs of Lawrenceville and the surrounding communities.
By dividing the space formerly occupied by Shop'n Save, the center will introduce a new retail tenant, adding more jobs and another 21,000 square feet of retail space. The shopping center currently hosts various businesses, including a fitness center, a veterinary clinic, a salon, a staffing agency, and various stores.
"The current owner of Shop'n Save has been an excellent operator since taking over in 2018," Moran said. "They would have continued to serve our community for many more years if possible."
She described the store's departure as a "dynamic opportunity" for a new grocer to take over the space, calling it a "win/win situation for everyone involved, including the neighborhood."
The closure of Shop'n Save is linked to the end of its lease, amid recent health alerts involving the store.
New Grocer Offers Opportunity Amid Store Closure
Lori Moran of Ballmoney Real Estate Services described the closure of Shop'n Save as a "dynamic opportunity" for a new grocery store to enhance the Lawrenceville Shopping Center, benefiting the entire community.
The closure is officially due to the lease ending, but the store has faced recent health issues. The Allegheny County Health Department issued several alerts after finding spoiled food, poor cleaning, faulty plumbing, and bad pest control in September. The store had only ten days to fix these problems or face shutdown.
The news of Shop'n Save's closure has sparked varied reactions on Facebook. Some residents are sad about losing a longtime shopping spot, while others are excited about the new Aldi store, one of four opening in the area this year according to the Pittsburgh Business Times.
One resident cheered the change, commenting, "Wow wonderful yes my favorite store coming soon." Another highlighted economic benefits: "Aldi rules... between it and the East End Co-op, I'm barely spending anything at Whole Foods Market. Free at last!" A third was glad for the neighborhood, saying, "An Aldi will be moving into that location later this year."
Despite some enthusiasm, not all locals are pleased. One person lamented, "They closing that down damn it's been there forever," and another reminisced, "I used to live down there and that was my favorite store when they first opened."
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