ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Construction on the new GIANT grocery store at the former Bon-Ton space in the South Mall is nearing completion, with signs visible on the fencing outside the building.
Crews began demolition and renovation efforts in January to transform the former department store at 3300 Lehigh St. into a new 68,000-square-foot GIANT supermarket. The project marks the company’s move from its long-standing location at 3015 W. Emmaus Ave., where it has operated for 35 years.
GIANT first announced the relocation in November 2023, noting the expansion in store size and updated amenities the new site will offer.
“After 35 years at our current location on West Emmaus Avenue, it’s time to grow our store footprint and move a little further up the road,” GIANT Company President John Ruane said in a 2023 release. “A larger and updated store will allow us to offer our Allentown-area families the latest amenities while underscoring our commitment to providing our customers with great value, the best quality and friendly service they’ve come to expect from GIANT.”
According to Lehigh County data, the current Emmaus Avenue store spans 50,856 square feet. The new Lehigh Street location will add more than 17,000 square feet of space.
“It was great to tour the new Giant supermarket taking shape at the South Mall in Salisbury Township with local officials,” said State Senator Nick Miller. “The new Giant will be considerably larger and benefit the community tremendously. Part of the tour also addressed some concerns I heard from constituents and how the property owner is making significant investments to manage stormwater runoff and help alleviate flooding at the intersection.”
GIANT spokesperson Ashley Flower said there is no official opening date yet but that the company expects to share more details “later this year.”
The store’s nearby gas station on Emmaus Avenue, which operates six pumps and sells unleaded, plus and premium gasoline, remains open during the transition.
The South Mall project is part of GIANT’s ongoing effort to modernize and expand its stores across the region, bringing updated layouts and additional features to meet customer demand.
