By Frank Sinatra, AAP Editor
Pennsauken Mayor Rick Taylor, Township Committeewoman Betsy McBride, and members of Pennsauken’s Economic Development Department were on hand for the official ribbon cutting for the new Associated Supermarket. The store, located at the site of the former Costa’s Market, opened for business with fully stocked shelves in early October.
“It’s great that Associated Supermarket has come in to this great retail space to serve residents who live along Westfield Ave.,” says Pennsauken Mayor Rick Taylor. “The improvements made to the store are just great. I think a lot of people will be happy to see all of the fully stocked shelves and the many items they can choose from.”
Frank Mejia, owner of Associated Supermarket, did his homework before making the decision to purchase the property. “I really liked the area. We checked the demographic and we’re going to cater to all of the customers in the neighborhood.”
Mejia stated that the supermarket receives fresh shipments of bread and perishables on a daily basis; fresh produce and meat are delivered every other day; and that groceries for restocking come in twice a week. A quick walk through the store showed popular brand names such as Purdue, Jif, Welch’s, Motts, Juicy Juice, Turkey Hill, and more. “People can expect to find everything that they’re looking for at the right price.” He also went on to say that over 90 percent of employees who worked for the old Costa’s Market made the transition to the new store.
One such employee is Rachelle Wilson, who worked at Costa’s for three years. Wilson likes the new look of the store and commented that a lot of the new systems implemented will help to keep things more organized. She also commented that the store offered a lot more variety to customers.
“We now have Spanish and Jamaican food items,” says Wilson. “We’re reaching out to a lot more clientele.”
However, this new approach is balanced with more traditional supermarket offerings as to not alienate former Costa’s shoppers. One such customer was Bill Kuchera, a Pennsauken resident since 1966 who used to come to Costa’s for deli meat, butchered items and specials. “It looks real good [in here],” says Kuchera. “They have a good selection of everything. I like it.”
Another longtime resident, Dorothy Harris, has lived in Pennsauken for over 50 years. She expressed how happy she was that the store was fully stocked and open for business.
“It’s amazing. There’s much more produce here,” says Harris. “It’s great for a quick stop to pick up things, like milk and orange juice. Then you always see something else that you can get.”
“Everything is nice and fresh and fully stocked,” added Mejia. “Come and check us out.”
Associated Supermarket is located at 6100 Westfield Ave. Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information, call (856) 661-3494.
