The story
1895–1964: Gerrity's Market
In 1895, William Gerrity opened Gerrity's Market, a meat shop that preceded the present-day supermarket. It was located at 345 Railroad Avenue, Bellvue, West Scranton. He partnered with Josph Hoban, and together they opened two other stores and started a meat delivery service. In 1945, Hoban sold his half of his business to Gerrity. Three years later, Gerrity's three sons, Joseph, William Jr., and Thomas inherited the stores. William Jr. moved and Thomas died, leaving Joseph the owner of Gerrity's Market. He decided to keep it open.
1964–1979: Meat delivery service, fire, and reopening
The delivery service had grown all across Lackawanna County. Neal Fasula joined the company in 1964 and left in 1969 to pursue a job in New York City. Gerrity's Market burnt down after Fasula left. He returned to West Scranton and, along with Joe Gerrity, opened a new meat store. A few years later, Gerrity sold his half to Fasula, who decided to keep the Gerrity's name.
1980–present: Gerrity's Supermarkets
The first Supermarket opened on 702 South Main Avenue, Scranton in 1980. It was remodeled in 1987 and still exists today. The supermarket became a family business as sisters Doxie and Rosemary, Mother "Aunt" Mary, and his wife Joyce (who became the chain's mascot) joined. In 1993, they opened stores in Kingston and in Keyser Oak Shopping Center in North Scranton in a former Woolworth. In 1994, they opened a store on Meadow Avenue in South Scranton, and in 1997, they opened five more. Neal would pass away during the now-chain's growth throughout Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties. The chain would partner with Rosie in to launch a grocery delivery service called Gerrity's Delivers and a gift card. In 2020, they partnered with Ace Hardware to open connected stores you could walk into from Ace/Gerrity's interior. The concept store opened in the Keyser Oak location. Gerrity's Ace opened in an abandoned Rent-A-Center, Northeast Title & Tag (with an FedEx Authorized Ship Center), and Thompson Northeast Insurance. Rent-A-Center had relocated to the Luzerne Street Shopping Center many years before, while Northeast Title & Tag and Thompson Northeast Insurance moved to a different space in the shopping center close to the street.
From Wikipedia’s article on Gerrity's Supermarkets, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4
