Supermarket plan stocks economic punch

    Supermarket owner Jeff Brown plans ‘superstore’ just across the city line in Cheltenham. He predicts ‘hundreds’ of construction jobs — and 40 more positions in the store itself.

    A supermarket just across the city line from Philadelphia is undergoing a major renovation. The store is in the midst of an area with mostly small markets.

    The $11 million expansion of the ShopRite at the Cheltenham Mall will turn the market into a “superstore.” Jeff Brown, whose family owns the store and others in the region, said Monday it will also provide jobs.

    “It’s hundreds of jobs to build this, and it’s 40 additional jobs in our supermarket,” said Brown.

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    Wendell Young, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, said it’s more than just jobs, it’s good-paying jobs with benefits.

    “They have benefits, pensions, the kind of jobs that we want in this economy especially when so many people are hurting so much and so few jobs provide that kind of hope for people anymore,” said Young.

    SEPTA is working on a terminal in the area to improve access to the store for shoppers without cars. The work should be complete in about a year.

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