301 W Chelten Ave, Philadelphia, PA

Original Tenant: Penn Fruit

Address: 301 W Chelten Ave, Germantown, Philadelphia, PA

Opened: 1950s

Closed: ca. 1976

Later Tenants: ShopRite (ca. 1976-ca. 2003) > The Fresh Grocer (ca. 2003-2011) > subdivided

Photographed: July 2021

Not a great picture, but a quick shot of the former Fresh Grocer in Germantown. This store, just a block west of Chelten Market, was originally a 1950s-era Penn Fruit before being sold to some ShopRite owner in the late 70s (probably in 1976), which closed around 2003. The Fresh Grocer opened shortly thereafter and then closed in early 2011. The 33,000 square foot store was subdivided into several smaller stores, including a Dollar Tree. At the same time, Save-A-Lot built a new store behind this existing building with a roughly 17,000 square foot footprint. Interestingly enough, at least initially, the Save-A-Lot was relocating from 5753 Wayne Ave and would be, like the closed Fresh Grocer, owned by the Burns family.

Interestingly enough, the loading docks all remain but all but one are bricked over. Here's what the store looked like back in 2009, and here's what the front looks like now. Well, that's all for this store, but I wasn't here for this, I was here for the Save-A-Lot! Actually, I was here for the Chelten Market and decided I should probably stop by Save-A-Lot too. So head over to The Market Report tomorrow to check out the Save-A-Lot!