The Giant Company on Thursday opened its fourth Giant Heirloom Market in Philadelphia’s Fashion District mall, capping off the retailer’s year of strong growth in the city in 2021, which included four new stores and the Giant Direct e-commerce fulfillment center. Giant currently operates eight stores in Philadelphia.
The new store, located at 801 Market Street, is accessible from inside the mall as well as Market Street, and features local produce, a large plant-based department, a self-serve tap wall with more than 30 selections, kombucha on tap, a Starbucks and a Hissho sushi bar.
“It seems only fitting that our growth and investment in the city this year culminates with this new store in a legendary location that has served Philadelphians and visitors to our city for decades,” said Nicholas Bertram, president of Carlisle, Pa.-based The Giant Company. “This store will reach residents and workers in the Fashion District and beyond, as well as visitors to Philadelphia’s nearby historic sites and museums. Always keeping in mind our purpose of connecting families for a better future, we know our customers will be delighted by the beautiful architecture and features at this Giant Heirloom Market.”
This store is the largest Giant Heirloom Market to date with 32,000 square feet of shopping space. Situated in the historic 1928 building that housed Philadelphia’s iconic Strawbridge & Clothier department store, the company has restored and maintained many interior design elements, including decorative trim, chandelier lighting, signage, and the famous “Il Porcellino,” the former Strawbridge’s wild boar statue.
Designed to accommodate urban spaces and provide shopping experiences that cater to city dwellers, Giant Heirloom Market draws inspiration from European grocery stores with a format and product mix tailored for urban neighborhoods. The Fashion District location is the first new Giant Heirloom Market since 2019, joining stores in the Philadelphia neighborhoods of Graduate Hospital, University City and Northern Liberties.
Like the first three GIANT Heirloom Market stores, the Fashion District location will feature Philadelphia‐area food purveyors including Claudio Specialty Foods and Isgro Pastries as well as a grind-your-own beans option featuring One Village Coffee.
To meet the needs of its on-the-go customers, the store will also offer Giant Direct online grocery through which customers can access tens of thousands of items found in GIANT stores and order online for next-day pickup or delivery. For in-store shoppers, there are also 16 self-checkout registers and Scan It! Express.
“Having been a part of the Giant Heirloom Market team since day one, today is a day I’ve long been looking forward to and won’t soon forget,” said store manager Nick Meyer. “Our Fashion District location is the perfect blend of Philadelphia and the very best of Giant Heirloom Market and much like the meaning of its name, it is truly something to be treasured. I know I speak for the entire team when I say we could not be more excited to welcome our new neighbors and visitors alike, and we can’t wait to see what they think of the store we’ve designed for them.”
