TOUR: Hurley's Fresh Market - Towanda, PA

Hurley's Fresh Market
Owner: Robert Hurley

Opened: 2005

Cooperative: IGA
Location: 387 York Ave, Towanda, PA

Photographed: August 17, 2022

We're returning to the Hurley's IGA in Towanda, 15 miles south of the New York border, which we first saw in 2019 with a drive-by picture from August 2018. Four years later, I'm back to tour the 17,000 square foot store. It, of course, was built in the 1960s as an A&P Centennial but I'm not sure exactly when A&P closed. Hurley's opened in 2005, and I'm not sure if there was another tenant between Hurley's and A&P. It looks like Hurley's did a pretty large renovation around 2011.

Now I am wondering when A&P closed. Some of the produce category markers look very, very similar to the 1990s A&P Food Market signage. It's possible that this is simply a coincidence, but it's also possible A&P lasted here into the 90s and left this sign and others like it behind.

Produce is in the front right corner of the store, with bakery and deli at the back of the first aisle. Meat is on the back wall, with frozen foods in the second-to-last aisle and dairy on the far left side of the store.

Some of the category and department signage is also very similar to A&P Fresh 1.0 styled signs, but I'm willing to bet that's just a coincidence. There's no way that this store was still an A&P into the Fresh Market era because, by 2000, A&P had closed or rebranded all of its Pennsylvania stores, but it's possible that until just before that, this store was still being run by A&P out of a New York division.

Like the Dushore location, some of the fixtures here are updated but some are older.

This store is supplied by Bozzuto's from Cheshire, CT, with IGA and Seven Farms branded items.

Frozen foods cases might be from Hurley's opening, or could be slightly older. It's possible A&P originally had frozen foods right up the middle of the store.

And dairy in the last aisle! Notice that one strip of the grooved board on the right side. Is that evidence of the A&P Food Market-era decor or fixtures? Here's a look at a store with that type of board throughout.

Now I will say this store generally seemed to be alright, save for some noticeable empty spaces on the shelves. But the big problem? One register open with a line going up the aisle. It looks like people might use this store more as a convenience store, especially since we see these people mostly don't have carts and are purchasing just a few items. There's a Tops just to the east of Towanda that is just over 50,000 square feet, which is likely where many people in town shop for larger orders.

That is all for north central PA! Before we can move into the northeastern corner of the state, we need to check out some stores to the west of here. Come back tomorrow to see what's coming up next!