Save-A-Lot to open late this year, early 2019
The discount grocery store Save-A-Lot is expected to open in the Pullman Square Shopping Center late this year or early next year.
Shopping center owner LG Realty Advisors is installing a partition wall to divide the space formerly occupied by Shop ‘n Save for the Save-A-Lot and is planning other renovations in anticipation of bringing other new tenants to the center.
“We are excited to welcome Save-A-Lot to Pullman Square,” said Zach Gumberg, LG Realty Advisors owner. “The store will open, if not the end of this year, the first quarter of 2019. Everyone’s working full steam ahead to get them open. They offer a good product at a good price.”
The Save-A-Lot will take up about 19,000 square feet of the former 60,000-square-foot Shop ’n Save store. Gumberg said he is looking for another anchor tenant to move into the remaining 40,000 square feet.
Electrical upgrades and other improvements are being done in addition to dividing the space. Save-A-Lot will begin construction for the store using its new store design in the next month or two, he said.
Gumberg said he has wanted to find another grocery store for the shopping center ever since Shop ’n Save closed in 2006, but he had to wait until Shop ’n Save’s lease expired in 2013 to begin seeking new tenants.
“What most people don’t realize is Shop ’n Save controlled the space under lease until late 2013. It was dark for some time and it was under the control of another organization,” Gumberg said. “Our mission was always to bring a grocery back. A grocery store is so the right tenant. It will be a vital community asset. It will provide a lot of convenience and accessibility.
“A large portion of the population lives within walking distance of the shopping center.”
The major overhaul of the shopping center includes some parking lot paving, replacing the existing parking lot lights with LED lights, facade painting and roof repair and replacement work, and will cost close to $1 million, he said.
“We feel very optimistic for the future of Pullman Center. More leasing will be on the way. We’re glad Save-A-Lot seized the opportunity. We believe sales will be great,” Gumberg said.
A Speedway gas station and convenience store being built next door on Hansen Avenue and the Allegheny Health Network’s construction of a cancer-treatment center nearby will help attract tenants, he said.
“It feels like there is a lot of momentum building in that area. We’re excited. The gas station they are building at that busy intersection will attract customers and other tenants,” Gumberg said.
The Shop ’n Save was one of the original tenants in Pullman Square when the shopping center opened in 1993 as part of the Community Development Corporation of Butler County’s first phase revitalization of the former Pullman-Standard plant property.
Before the property was bought by developer J.J. Gumberg, the CDC completed some initial reclamation and infrastructure work. Gumberg built the 220,000-square-foot shopping center with Shop ’n Save and Kmart as its anchor stores. The Kmart closed last fall.
Officials at Save-A-Lot could not be reached for comment.
