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Grocery Outlet opens first store in Maryland

Fast-growing value grocer enters its eighth state

Russell Redman

June 20, 2022

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Grocery Outlet

Grocery Outlet Holding Corp. has expanded its brick-and-mortar footprint to eight states with the debut of its first location in Maryland.

Emeryville, Calif.-based Grocery Outlet opened the doors to a store at 1713 Massey Blvd. in Hagerstown, Md., on June 16. The new outlet marked the chain’s 424th store, with locations in California, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Nevada, New Jersey and now Maryland.

As part of the Hagerstown store’s grand opening celebration, through July 14 customers can enter for a chance to win $1,000 in groceries. Prizes also include over 20 $50 rewards certificates. The first 100 shoppers attending the store’s ribbon-cutting ceremony received Grocery Outlet Bliss Bucks gift cards in mystery amounts ranging from $5 to $250.

“We are overjoyed to open Grocery Outlet’s very first location in Maryland and to be a part of the Hagerstown community, providing big savings on quality groceries,” Gerald and Evelyn Eldred, independent owner-operators of the Hagerstown Grocery Outlet, said in a statement. “This partnership with Grocery Outlet gives us the ability to grow our business, create new jobs and more importantly, give back to our local community.”

Also with the grand opening, the Eldreds presented donations of $1,000 each to The Hope Center Hagerstown and the LifeHouse Church.

Related:Grocery Outlet stores pilot Uber Eats delivery

Describing itself as an “extreme value” retailer, Grocery Outlet touts big discounts on brand-name products and has said a typical shopper basket is priced about 40% lower than that of conventional grocers and 20% lower than leading discounters. Stores are run by independent owner-operators from the communities they serve, enabling locations to cater to changing customer preferences. Shopper savings is achieved through a sourcing model of procuring surplus inventory and product overruns directly from thousands of supplier partners. That includes a changing assortment of products with “WOW!” prices, creating a “treasure hunt” shopping experience.

Grocery Outlet opened 36 new stores in fiscal 2021, ending the year with 415 stores in California, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Nevada and — a new state — New Jersey. In the fiscal 2022 first quarter ended April 2, the retailer Grocery Outlet opened four new stores and closed one location, ending the period with 418 stores.

“We remain on track to open 28 net new stores during the year, including approximately 10 stores in the Mid-Atlantic area as we expand our footprint in the East,” Grocery Outlet CEO Eric Lindberg said last month in a conference call on Q1 results.

Related:Grocery Outlet posts 10.5% net sales gain for Q1

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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