A yearslong project to build a full-service grocery store in a “food desert” area of Reading has finally borne fruit.
On Wednesday, owner Leopoldo Sanchez was joined by city and county officials to cut the ribbon on the new Super Natural & Fresh Produce III at 243 N. 4th Street.
The initiative, announced in 2018, faced setbacks from COVID-related labor and materials shortages, and issues with underground voids encountered during construction.
It involved transforming a blighted former vehicle maintenance garage into a 43,000-square-foot facility offering fresh produce, meats, dairy, and more, as well as Latino foods not found in larger regional stores.
The store includes a cafe and wholesale distribution warehouse for small grocers, as well as a parking garage, parking lot and administrative offices on the building’s second floor.
A tortilla manufacturing facility on the second floor is planned for a future construction phase.
The $19 million initiative was funded in part by a $6 million federal New Market Tax Credit allocation from Finanta, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit that aims to advance economic development in underserved areas.
“This investment reflects Finanta’s commitment to increasing access to healthy food while helping families gain the financial stability to save and plan for their futures,” Daniel Betancourt, president and chief executive officer of Finanta, said in a press release. “With the support of NMTC financing, this project will create quality jobs, provide essential grocery access, and strengthen the local economy.”
The project was also made possible through aid from Blue Hub Capital and Reinvestment Fund, Fulton Bank, Low Income Finance Fund, Greater Berks Development Fund, Commonwealth Cornerstone Group, Commonwealth Financing Authority, grants from Reading and Berks County, along with contributions from Sanchez himself, Super Fresh representatives said.
The property formerly housed The Keystone Brewery, which occupied the site from 1850 to 1903, county historian George M. Meiser IX previously told MediaNews Group.
It included a large cave-like underground beer vault and ice house at the rear along Madison Avenue, then known as Ash Alley.
The brewery buildings were demolished and replaced by Kolb’s Bakery, which fell victim to the great depression, with the property then being used by the city as a garage, Meiser said.
The new store will provide groceries for an estimated 5,900 customers per week, and employ 120 full-time and 30 part-time staff.
Representatives said the store is still hiring.
“Today marks more than just the opening of Super Natural & Fresh Produce III — it’s a celebration of community, health, and hard work,” Sanchez said in the release. “I’m deeply grateful to not only God and my family, but also Mayor Moran, Representative Guzman, the county of Berks, city of Reading, and everyone who believed in this vision and helped bring it to life. Thank you for your support, your smiles, and your trust. Here’s to fresh beginnings and nourishing futures!”
Sanchez opened his first bodega in Reading 25 years ago, using his experience working in stores owned by his relatives while growing up in the Dominican Republic.
He opened the first Supernatural & Fresh Produce store in 2014 on N. 12th Street in Reading, before opening additional stores in Scranton and Lancaster.
