TOUR: Weaver Markets - Denver, PA

Weaver Markets
Owner: Michael Weaver

Opened: 1962

Cooperative: none
Location: 2610 N Reading Rd, Denver, PA

Photographed: August 20, 2019

Our final store in the Lancaster County group is another massive independent supermarket. The 84,000 square foot Weaver Markets (which previously also had a location in Adamstown) is the only major supermarket between Ephrata and the immediate Reading suburbs -- which, to be clear, is not that long of a distance, about 15 miles.

The store is stuck in time in a way, but in the best possible way. Its decor is not up-to-date, but the place is maintained flawlessly. The prices (especially for the "snack bar," which we'll get to) are great, and a lot of the perishables sold here are store-prepared and homemade.

My mother and I were in this store, and her first reaction was that it felt familiar. When we thought about it a little bit, we realized this store looks a heck of a lot like how her Pathmark did in the 1980s.

The expansive produce department takes up the first aisle, with meat on the back wall along with deli, bakery, and seafood. Dairy is in the back left corner with frozen foods going straight up the middle of the store, and the snack bar is in the front left corner. Floral and pharmacy, which appear to be outside vendors, are on the front wall.

We might call this decor (and flooring!) retro -- but it's been perfectly maintained. As we can see throughout, the whole store is spotless.

Not to mention fully stocked!

Denver, PA is also home to the Albertsons Companies Mid-Atlantic distribution center, about a mile and a half south of this store. We're about 25 miles from the nearest ACME store, in the Downingtown area I believe.

I love the red meat cases, wood paneling, and red and orange floor! And for another blast from the past...

...the frozen food department is made completely of deep blue coffin cases! Again, they are in perfect condition but must be left over from the 1980s.

Deli, seafood, and bakery line the back wall at the rear of the frozen food department.

There's a HABA department in the grocery aisles, but also a full pharmacy which as I said, I believe is an outside business.

Again, a large seafood department, which I was not expecting to see in a rural independent like this. (This was my first Lancaster County store the day I visited them all, so I guess it gave me a place to compare from.)

Nice bakery, which clearly makes a lot in-store. Donuts were pretty cleaned out despite the fact that I was here pretty early in the day.

Moving into the dairy department in the back corner.

Looking across the back wall of the store, back towards produce. In the last aisle, we have a beautiful and spotless dairy department...

And in front of that is the Snack Bar, which is a very large food court. I ate lunch here and it was excellent, and around $12 for two people.

The snack bar serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. The prices have gone up since I visited, of course, but they're still pretty good.

And it was very pleasant to sit here in the snack bar. We had an early lunch so it wasn't too crowded but I assume this is a popular place to get a casual meal.

Floral and pharmacy, each with their own entrance, on the front wall.

The HABA selection in the pharmacy and in the supermarket is slightly different, with more pharmacy-specific items in the pharmacy area (like vitamins and so on).

One more look at the frozen foods department in the middle of the store before we head out.

I'm wondering about this circular. Where are we going back to? Do you think that was intentional? It's pretty funny whether it's an intentional joke or not...

Anyway, that wraps up Lancaster County! We're going to spend just a few days in and around Reading before going back to the areas north of Philadelphia, so come back tomorrow to check out what's next.