On January 25^th, GIANT Heirloom Market held its official Grand Opening by breaking bread with Philadelphia’s Official City Representative Sheila Hess, and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, and Executive Director of Philabundance Glenn Bergman.

Located in Philadelphia’s Graduate Hospital area, the newest addition to their GIANT Food Store chain will bring an entirely new concept to its aisles. While shopping, you can meander at your leisure through every area; each aisle easily leading to the next. The way they laid out the various sections of GIANT Heirloom Market (GMH) will help guide you to all your food favorites, and perhaps introduce you to something new.

 “We’ve had the privilege of getting to know our Graduate Hospital neighbors and they are the true inspiration for our new store. I am thrilled to soon officially open the doors to GIANT Heirloom Market and I’m sure our neighbors will be just as excited to experience a store that connects them to real food, where every trip will inspire them to eat better – and for less,” stated Angel Cordero, a 20-year grocery veteran who has been appointed store manager of the new GIANT Heirloom Market.

Another great feature to look forward to from GIANT Heirloom Market is it incorporates many locally sourced products to the shelves, so the surprises you will find there are equally endless. With products from companies such as High Street on Market with their award-winning breads, Isgro Pastries and their sought-after sweets, One Village Coffee, and even more sweet pastries from Sarcone’s Bakery—the new Giant Heirloom Market is taking extra steps to elevate their new location as a place that will serve popular Philadelphian products!  

One more aspect I enjoyed during my visit was to customize my fruit salad. At the deli counter you can ask the Produce Chef to chop your fruits and vegetables exactly how you want them to be. For me this is a particularly huge draw—I no longer need to struggle to eat healthy by prepping mangos or pineapples at home, now I can just order them freshly cut!

Speaking of healthy, patrons who follow or need to eat “clean” can find whatever you need; there is a wide array of plant-based foods in a centralized location for you to choose from. And for anyone who loves a healthier pick-me-up beverage, they have 3 selections of GT’s Kombucha on tap along with numerous bottled varieties in a refrigerated section. 

In addition to all of that I found (and indulged in) another exciting part of GHM: they have a DIY olive oil and vinegar station! Of course I had to use this fabulous feature while I was there—I’ve been looking for a Fig Balsamic Vinegar for a while, so I cannot express my elation that they had it at their customizable EVOO and Vinegar blends station.

After I created my customized bottle of Fig Balsamic Vinegar, I checked out their PAIRINGS section. I spoke with GIANT Food Store’s Director of Growth Initiative, Paul Madarieta, who explained that their wine selection at GIANT Heirloom Market is interesting because they increased their selection of imported wines and made sure to only carry ones that scored higher on the Wine Spectator’s Scale. And that if you are looking to curate your own selection of beer, you can by taking advantage of the stores “mix-a-six” option.

There was an abundance of healthy, fresh, and elevated foods to choose from, including a large selection from Nature’s Promise to make sure you’re eating what nature intended for your body to be fueled by. However, if everything on your shopping list is not checked off, there is a convenient way to purchase what you still need. You can use one of GHM’s tablets to order what you still need, and then opt to have it delivered either to the store for pick up, or have the items delivered to your door!

I left happy and was excited to share my first visit to GIANT Heirloom Market with all of you, and to let you know about some of the great features that the store offers.  They continued to make others happy by graciously donating a check for $2,500 to Philabundance, along with an additional $2,500 worth of foods to help support families who were affected by the government shut down.

The new Giant Heirloom Market is open 7 days a week from 7am until 10pm and is located at 2303 Bainbridge Street in Philadelphia, and I hope that you see for yourself what they have to offer!

All photos are by Amaris Pollock and should not be used without permission.