After sitting idle for nearly seven months the two story 100,000 square foot complex, which includes 160 parking spaces, located at the corner of 2nd and Girard is now set to open in August as a Superfresh rather than a Pathmark as originally planned.

Signs appeared on the glass doors of the building last week which read, “Now Hiring: Come Join the Superfresh Team”.  The sign directs those interested in employment opportunities to visit the company’s website at www.superfreshfood.com.

Although it is not known at this time just how many employees will be needed, the store is accepting applications for a full range of positions including management, cashiers, security, bookkeepers, clerks, as well as pharmacy positions.  For purposes of submitting an online application the Northern Liberties store has a designation code of 5233.

“We are pleased to confirm that The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company is moving forward with plans to open a new Superfresh store at North 2nd Street and West Girard Avenue in Philadelphia, said Marcy Connor, A&P Director of Public Relations. “We are looking forward to bringing our neighborhood store to this community, with the full support of Mayor Michael Nutter, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776, and the developer of the property, Tower Investments. The Company expects to open the 51,000 square foot store by the end of the summer, and we will announce details about the grand opening in the coming weeks.”

A&P corporate headquarter is located in Montvale, New Jersey. They currently operate 336 stores in the United States under 6 retail banners including Superfresh, Pathmark, and Waldbaum’s. The company was founded in 1859 and employs more than 39,000 people in seven U.S. states along the East Coast.

Construction of the two-story $30 million project at 2nd and Girard came to a halt in December, 2010 when the parent company A&P filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Unlike Chapter 7 bankruptcy which requires that a company liquidate its assets, Chapter 11 allows a company to restructure its finances so that it may continue to operate in the normal course of business, provide its employees with jobs, pay their salaries in a timely fashion, and pay its creditors.  As part of their restructuring A&P was forced to close 32 of its stores in six states.

A life-long resident from the 1100 block of Hancock Street just adjacent to the facility expressed mixed feelings about the coming supermarket.  “While it will certainly be convenient to be able to walk across the street and do my grocery shopping, I do have concerns about foot traffic and the parking situation, said the neighbor.  “I don’t think having a grocery store across from your house does much for the quality of the neighborhood, and I was certainly not happy about losing my center city view.”