This Thursday, a new P&C supermarket will open in the building formerly occupied by Grand Union.
According to Hanover's P&C Manager Nancy Williams, who was formerly manager of the Grand Union, renovations and cleanup work has been going on since Grand Union closed its doors July 22.
One of the most noticeable changes that will greet students when they first shop at the new supermarket -- part of a Syracuse, NY-based chain -- is the new scanning registers. Grand Union used manual registers that required cashiers to ring in prices by hand.
Williams also said that the pricing structure is slightly different in the new store.
She said the new price-system will work in favor of shoppers, noting that some of the same items will have lower prices than they did when Grand Union was in charge.
Williams called the work that has been going on inside the building a "face lift," noting that "it's taken quite a bit of work."
"It'll be a cleaner, updated store," she said.
Not only has the new supermarket chain been busy washing down shelving units and updating the store technologically, it has also been restocking the aisles.
Before closing down shop, Grand Union tried to sell as much merchandise as possible. Then, according to Cathy Maloney, third-in-charge at the former Hanover Grand Union, the store shipped leftover food and other items to the nearest Grand Unions that were still in operation, which were most likely locations in Vermont.
Williams said that the type of merchandise available at P&C will be very similar to Grand Union's stock. She said many of the same brands will be available in the new store.
This will not be the first time that the space has been occupied by a P&C. According to Williams, when Grand Union moved into Hanover 10 years ago, it was replacing a P&C.
The store will also not be entirely new in terms of employees. Williams said P&C rehired many of the same workers who were formerly employed by Grand Union.
Grand Union was largely successful but failed to renegotiate the terms of its lease with the contracting company Penn Traffic, said Corporate Communications Manager for Grand Union Sue Marsh in a prior interview with The Dartmouth.
Marsh would not describe or specify the terms of contention.
Grand Union's two other New Hampshire supermarkets, which were leased with the same contracting company, also closed last month.
