Weis Markets

Weis Markets, Inc.

File:Weis Markets logo.svg Weis Markets logo
Company type	Public
Industry	Retail (Grocery)
Founded	1 January 1912 (1912-01-01) in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Founder	Harry Weis, Sigmund Weis
Headquarters	Sunbury , United States
Area served	Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware
Products	Grocery stores
Number of employees	23000+
Website	www.weismarkets.com

Weis Markets, Inc. (, ), commonly known as Weis, is a U.S.-based grocery chain headquartered in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. The company operates 200 retail locations and employs more than 23,000 staff members throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, and Delaware.

20th century

Established in 1912 in Sunbury, Pennsylvania by brothers Harry and Sigmund Weis, Weis Markets originally operated under the name Weis Pure Foods. Their innovative approach of cash-only transactions allowed them to offer prices up to 25% lower than competitors who extended credit. By 1915, the chain had expanded to include a second store in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The Weis brothers quickly grew their footprint, reaching a total of 115 stores across 15 counties in central Pennsylvania by 1933. Reflecting shifts within the grocery industry, Weis evolved from small corner shops to larger self-service supermarkets, inaugurating its first consolidated supermarket in 1938. By 1955, the company’s portfolio had grown to 35 supermarkets.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Weis broadened its market presence beyond central Pennsylvania into areas such as York, Lancaster, and Maryland, launching its first Maryland location in Hagerstown in 1967. That same year marked entry into the Wilkes-Barre region.

In November 1967, Weis acquired Albany Public Markets, a five-store chain based in Albany, New York. Operated as a subsidiary for some time, these stores were eventually closed and leased to Grand Union in 1986.

Further expansion included locations in Western Pennsylvania cities like Altoona and Philipsburg. Strategic acquisitions during this period featured Mr. Z's, a 14-store IGA chain in the Poconos (1992), and King's, a six-store chain located in the Lehigh Valley (1994). Both chains were later rebranded under the Weis banner. The westernmost extent of Weis’ operations reached Altoona along old route 220.

While the company found success entering the Baltimore market, attempts to penetrate Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and Montgomery County markets were less fruitful, ultimately resulting in withdrawal from Virginia and closure of most Maryland stores in those areas.

Weis also ventured into North Jersey with a store opening in Newton in 1992.

21st century

In 2000, Weis launched a store in Flanders, which closed two years later; however, the company reentered the market in 2014 by acquiring a former A&P location nearby.

The year 2009 saw Weis’ expansion into New York’s Southern Tier region through the acquisition of the 11-store Giant Markets chain. Between 2012 and 2014, several former Giant Markets locations were shuttered while eight remain operational.

Continuing its eastward growth in 2012, Weis purchased three ex-Genuardi's stores from Safeway situated in Philadelphia suburbs: Conshohocken, Doylestown, and Norristown. That same year included opening a former Superfresh store in Towson, Maryland. In August 2013, Weis entered central New Jersey by acquiring a former Pathmark outlet located in Hillsborough.

In November 2013, Weis inaugurated its nearest store to Philadelphia after purchasing a former Pathmark site in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania. The company further expanded by acquiring Nell's Shur-fine Market stores in Penn Township (2015) and East Berlin (2016), both located in Pennsylvania.

Robert F. Weis—son of founder Harry Weis—who played a significant role as both business leader and philanthropist, passed away at age 96 in October 2015. His charitable contributions notably supported food banks and Jewish organizations.

Following Mars Super Markets’ closure announcement in May 2016, Weis acquired five of their Baltimore County stores. In July of that year, Weis agreed to purchase 38 Food Lion outlets across Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia from Ahold and Delhaize Group as part of regulatory divestitures tied to their merger; these transactions were finalized by November 2016.

On March 9, 2017, Weis unveiled a new store spanning 65,000 square feet in Hampden Township, Pennsylvania. This location featured enhanced amenities including a pub-style eatery, ice cream shop, drive-thru pharmacy, and a beer café offering an extensive selection of beer and wine. In September 2019, Weis acquired two Thomas' Food Market locations within Pennsylvania—reopening one under its own brand while closing the other.

The company continued expanding within New Jersey with the July 2018 opening of its second store there at a former A&P site located in Randolph Township within Morris County.

Legal case

During the 1960s, Weis supermarket located in Park Hills Plaza, Altoona, Pennsylvania, became the focus of a significant United States Supreme Court decision involving the "public forum doctrine." The Court determined that union picketing was permissible in the supermarket’s parcel pickup zone and parking area because the shopping center operated similarly to a downtown commercial district. At that period, Weis was situated within Logan Valley Mall before relocating to Park Hills Plaza in the mid-1970s.

Shooting

On the morning of June 8, 2017, a devastating shooting took place at a Weis Markets store in Eaton Township, Pennsylvania. Employee Randy Stair locked exits and fatally shot three colleagues prior to committing suicide himself, driven by personal psychological disturbances.

Banners

In addition to the primary Weis Markets brand, the company previously managed stores under the King's and Mr. Z's names—mainly serving the Lehigh Valley and Poconos regions—acquired in 1993 and 1994 respectively. These outlets have since been renovated or rebranded as Weis locations, including Cressler's in Shippensburg (2009) and three Scot's Lo-Cost warehouse stores converted during 2011.

Weis formerly operated Big-Top Market stores; however, these were all phased out by 2006.

The company also held a controlling interest in SuperPetz, a pet supply warehouse chain founded in 1991 and majority-acquired (80%) in 1993. SuperPetz provided grooming, dog training, and veterinary care services. Although it once ran 33 stores across eleven states as of 2003, by 2011 only seven Pennsylvania locations remained, with none currently in operation.

Private brand labels

Weis Markets features an assortment of private label brands designed to diversify its product offerings and strengthen its competitive edge:

• Weis Quality (comparable to national brands)
• Weis Organic (organic produce)
• Weis Signature (high-end products)
• Weis Quality Premium Meats (deli meat selections)
• Paws Premium (pet nutrition)
• TopCare (health and beauty items)
• Full Circle (fair-trade certified goods)
• Weis 360 (organic essentials such as oatmeal and bread)
• Weis Simply Great

These proprietary brands align with Weis Markets’ strategic objectives by appealing to various consumer groups and enhancing market penetration through unique product lines.