The former Acme supermarket building at the Andorra Shopping Center sat empty after closing in spring 2024. Now, it has been replaced by a 50,000-square-foot Giant, which opened on June 19.
For Andorra resident Yasmin Khan, the biggest change is simple: Grocery shopping is no longer inconvenient.
“I love the Giant. We needed it,” said Khan, who has visited the Giant three times since it opened. “We didn’t have a market for about two years in this whole area.”
Since the Acme closed, Khan said her closest option was a ShopRite in Roxborough. “That wasn’t as convenient as …
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The former Acme supermarket building at the Andorra Shopping Center sat empty after closing in spring 2024. Now, it has been replaced by a 50,000-square-foot Giant, which opened on June 19.
For Andorra resident Yasmin Khan, the biggest change is simple: Grocery shopping is no longer inconvenient.
“I love the Giant. We needed it,” said Khan, who has visited the Giant three times since it opened. “We didn’t have a market for about two years in this whole area.”
Since the Acme closed, Khan said her closest option was a ShopRite in Roxborough. “That wasn’t as convenient as going two minutes around the corner,” she added.
A frequent customer of the Andorra Shopping Center, located at 701 Cathedral Road, she also patronizes its dollar store, free library branch, and TJ Maxx. Several shoppers also said that the old Acme was run-down, and they were excited about what the new Giant offered.
The Giant marks the first step in Federal Realty Investment Trust’s $30 million investment into the shopping center.
“The redevelopment is designed to make Andorra a destination, not simply a convenience stop,” a Federal Realty spokesperson told the Local in an email. The company said that the grocery need influenced its decision to bring the Giant to the shopping center: “The community was underserved from a grocery standpoint, and when the [Acme] departed, it created an opening we were ready to act on.”
The shopping center currently includes fast-food chain McDonald’s and fast-casual Chipotle, as well as stores like Five Below, TJ Maxx, and Kohl’s. Giant was selected as the anchor tenant for its brand recognition and ability to drive foot traffic, which can benefit the rest of the shopping center.
Neighboring businesses have already noticed a change. Pat McCallum, an employee at Five Below, said she has seen more customers since the Giant’s opening. For Federal Realty, the goal is to create a cycle where the Giant draws more customers, increased foot traffic attracts additional tenants, and new tenants bring even more visitors to the shopping center.
New tenants include Wonder, a food hall with more than 20 restaurants that opened in June, and a KinderCare child care center. A Honeygrow, specializing in stir-fry dishes and salads, is also expected to open soon. Andorra Kitchen & Tap, an all-day restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, will arrive in late 2026. The shopping center currently has a few available spaces, and Federal Realty said leasing is in progress.
