The Independent Edition

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 fron...

Hurley's Fresh Market Owner: Robert Hurley Opened:  1982 Cooperative:  IGA Location:  121 W Main St, Dushore, PA Photographed:  August 17, 2022 We're here in Dushore, PA to check out the town's only supermarket, although in a town of 450, that might just be all you need. The store is around 8200 square feet, and was opened in 1982 as Hurley's IGA. Today, the store is one of two Hurley's Fresh Markets, with the other one in Towanda . We'll also be revisiting that store this time around! You enter in the front left corner of the store and walk across the front-end to the right side, where aisle 1 has produce and dairy. In the picture below, I'm facing up towards the front wall. Deli and meats are on the back wall with frozen foods on the far left side of the store. As you can see in the above picture, although the store is old, it's had some recent updates with new refrigerators and flooring. I think it's likely there was another supermarket here prio...

TJ's Market Owner: Tom Montgomery Opened:  before 2006 Cooperative:  none Location:  5464 US-15, Montgomery, PA Photographed:  August 19, 2022 Welcome to Hughesville! This small town of 2100 has a small supermarket just off the main street, but even while I was eating lunch just three blocks from this store I wasn't positive it existed. I had seen a picture of it somewhere, I think, but couldn't find it on a map -- in fact, there wasn't even a Google Maps listing until I made one for this store. I assumed the supermarket had gone out of business. I'm glad to say that isn't the case! This store is just about 18,000 square feet, some of which on the far right side is taken up by a pharmacy that appears to be an outside business. Produce is in the first aisle, with meats on the back wall, dairy/frozen on the left side of the store, and deli/bakery in the front left corner. The prescriptions counter is at the back of this section. I believe there is a dedicated entr...

Surplus Outlet Owner: Thomas Wengerd Opened:   Cooperative:  none Location:  5464 US-15, Montgomery, PA Photographed:  August 19, 2022 Now for a look at our second Surplus Outlet! We saw the Northumberland one a few days ago, and this one looks very similar. It's also around 35,000 square feet, and looks very similar inside. I'm not sure exactly what this store is like, but as I mentioned on the post for their other location, it seems to be more in line with the BB's model than, say, an ALDI or Save-A-Lot. For example, it doesn't look like these stores have a consistent selection of products or a storebrand, but they do seem to have meat and produce departments. We're just over five miles southeast of Williamsport, the largest town in this area, and that's where we're headed next for a look at a big-chain store right downtown on The Market Report !

Lingle's Neighborhood Market Owner: Bill and Marie Lingle Opened:  2003 Cooperative:  none Location:  15 W Brimmer Ave, Watsontown, PA Photographed:  August 19, 2022 There's quite a lot going on at this unassuming riverside Lingle's Neighborhood Market! From the front, this 16,000 square foot store looks like an average small-town independent supermarket. But actually the building has a long history as a grocery store, which some might be able to guess from this parking-lot sign... It's not the clearest clue, but it is a reminder that this store started out as an ACME. In fact, ACME started its time in Watsontown with a store at 122 Main St (now demolished) in 1939, which later moved to this pitched-roof building at 15 W Brimmer Ave in 1967 just a block away. Like so many other ACMEs in these northern Pennsylvania small towns, the store stayed around until 1995 when it was sold to Penn Traffic's Bi-Lo Foods chain. It appears there may have been some franchise agree...