Musser’s Market confirmed last night that the company’s grocery store division has been sold to GIANT Food Stores.
“Lancaster and Lebanon Counties has been our home for the past 94 years,” said the company in a Facebook post.
“However, due to the changes in the industry, the loss of our cooperative wholesaler (AWI), customer buying habits, online pressure and competition in the Lancaster & Lebanon Counties, it has become clear that the only way we can continue to service our customers and give our employees better opportunities is to provide a company that can meet these new needs.”
Musser’s Market currently operates one store in Lebanon County, located within Cedar Crest Square at 1750 Quentin Road, a former Foodland.
The Facebook post notes that Musser’s management approached GIANT Food Stores regarding a potential acquisition, calling them “the best fit for our locations, customers and our employees.”
The company is only selling the grocery store division. At Cedar Crest Square, Musser’s Market also operates the beer store, 7 Cuz, which the Lebanon Daily News profiled last year. The store, expected to remain open (although this has not been independently confirmed yet), has developed a following for its well-organized layout, competitive prices, and numerous product offerings. “Basically, it’s a supermarket of a distributor,” as Mike Musser told the Daily News.
Genuine Tobacco locations and a couple other Musser family business divisions are expected to remain as-is.
Musser’s Market grew out of a family country store and frozen food locker located at “The Buck” in Lancaster County (outside Quarryville). There continues to be a Musser’s at the original location, as well as a third in Mountville/Columbia. Musser’s Market had been the first computerized supermarket in Lancaster County.
The last day of business for Musser’s Market will be October 17, 2019. GIANT plans to complete remodels of the stores in about a week. Existing employees will need to re-interview with GIANT.
The Lebanon store will be in addition to GIANT’s current stores in Lebanon, with no changes expected for existing GIANT stores in the area as part of this acquisition.
“We were honored when the Musser family contacted us about purchasing their wonderful locations,” said Nicholas Bertram, president of GIANT Food Stores, in a press release.
“The Musser family founded their grocery store in 1925, and we recognize the deep roots and strong reputation they have in Lancaster and Lebanon counties. We look forward to continuing their legacy of caring for families and the community.”
Read more: Zweier’s is a new, old south Lebanon community staple
Today, not many locally-owned and operated grocery stores remain in Lebanon County, with Zweier’s in Lebanon a notable exception.
GIANT is regionally-based but owned by a Dutch company. GIANT operates 158 stores in Pennsylvania, with nearly 29,000 employees.
This post has been updated with additional information from GIANT.