With The Fresh Grocer’s inevitable demise in the upcoming weeks, Penn students and the University City populace should take advantage of the sales occurring before they run out.
It has been quite the buzz of campus lately. Rumors have circulated for years, but now it is definite: The Fresh Grocer on 40th and Walnut streets, commonly known as “FroGro,” is soon to close. Some of the details of this closure are up to speculation. While Penn’s administration has announced that an Acme Supermarket will replace it, many of the details regarding the closing remain murky, such as when exactly Acme will be arriving.
As such, I recently visited FroGro and found an atmosphere that was devoid of the store's normal bustling vibe. Like with any business that closes, there likely will be sales at FroGro over its final week or two of operation — big sales that can be quite advantageous for the University City community. Therefore, Penn students should take advantage of the sales at the Fresh Grocer leading up to its March closure.
Many Penn students rely on the Fresh Grocer as a conduit for groceries and other household products, such as cleaning supplies. Since the store will be closed, it will become increasingly hard to obtain said items, other than ordering from Amazon or other e-commerce websites.
Going to another grocery store is also a non-starter for many students. Between FroGro’s closing and the opening of Acme, the closest concrete supermarket will be Heirloom Market (close to Domus).
While these stores are similar to FroGro in pricing and only several blocks away from Penn’s campus, a significant downside of them is that they are out of the Penn Police Patrol Zone, and therefore out of the Penn community.
Therefore, students should try to “stock up” on supplies that they might need before the imminent closure. Some big sales include 48 waters (two packs of 24) for only $5. Many other items are significantly marked down, such as perishable items and cleaning supplies.
It will be sad to see FroGro close, as it has been an institution for the past 20 years, representing convenience and efficiency. But, as with all things, the old will go and the new will come in. Before FroGro closes permanently, spend some time and get stuff at low prices before they’re gone for good.
HARRISON SELZNICK is a first-year student in the College from Las Vegas, Nevada studying Biology and History. His email address is hselz@sas.upenn.edu
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