Grand Union Returns: Southern Tier Store Opens Ahead of Schedule

Binghamton area residents once again are able to do their food shopping in a supermarket emblazoned with the "Grand Union" name.

The Tops market on Route 17C in the town of Owego has been converted into a Grand Union store. It's one of several Tops locations acquired by the New Hampshire-based C&S Wholesale Grocers.

The Owego supermarket closed on January 23 and was scheduled to reopen a week later as a Grand Union. But the conversion process apparently moved faster than expected because the new Grand Union began operating around 2 p.m. Friday.

Some permanent and temporary signs with the Grand Union logo replaced the existing Tops signs. Some Tops logos still appeared on a few items in the store following the conversion.

A sign advised customers that the store was temporarily unable to process WIC transactions. WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children operated by the federal government.

The Owego store had been a Tops market since November 2010. Prior to that, it was a P&C supermarket.

A "grand opening" event at the store is scheduled for March 5.

C&S Wholesale Grocers acquired a dozen Tops stores that were spun off in a merger between Tops and Price Chopper. All but one of the locations will become Grand Union supermarkets. A store in Watertown will be converted into a Piggly Wiggly supermarket.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.