As the Thriftway supermarket on 43rd and Walnut streets prepares to close its doors for business by the end of the week, employees at the store are left wondering what will become of their employment status.
The store, which has floundered greatly since the Freshgrocer at 40th and Walnut streets entered the neighborhood in 2001, has struggled to survive but could no longer afford to compete.
If negotiations are successful, there will be a new supermarket tenant in the location in the form of the Supremo supermarket chain, a Spanish chain based in Northern New Jersey.
The deal for Supremo to take over the location has not yet been finalized, but those familiar with the situation are almost certain that a deal will be worked out.
Current Thriftway employees will lose their jobs following the closing, but all of them will have the opportunity to interview with Supremo when the store starts hiring, according to Chris Natoli, store manager at Thriftway.
This policy does not guarantee that all current store employees will be rehired, but it gives each employee a chance to win his or her job back.
The members of the store's management are still weighing their future opportunities, and do not know whether they will join Supremo or pursue other options.
Natoli said that the "best guess" as to how long it will take Supremo to move in is about two months.
Natoli explained that the reason for the Spanish supermarket's delay is the very same reason why Thriftway could not compete anymore.
Supremo "need[s] to modernize the store," he said, noting that the store was built in the 1960s.
In the current world of supermarket business, a 45-year-old building is obsolete. Ironically, Natoli noted that at one time, Thriftway "was the elite store."
Natoli was confident that Supremo will have the financial means to compete with Freshgrocer and thinks that Supremo will prove to be a very tough competitor.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
