When the Martin family opened Sunnyway Foods in 1955, Eisenhower was the President, and Elvis was the King. The average cost for a loaf of bread was 18 cents, eggs were 61 cents a dozen, and a gallon of milk fetched 92 cents at the cash register.
Driving to Sunnyway’s Greencastle store back then was also economical – gas cost 23 cents per gallon. Now, along with those long-ago prices, a family business with cherished traditions will soon be gone forever. Sunnyway Foods is closing its two Franklin County stores on Oct. 19.
Sunnyway Foods recently announced the sale of its stores to Weis Markets of Sunbury. Also a family-run business, Weis is a mid-Atlantic food retailer with 196 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, West Virginia and Delaware. The two Sunnyway stores, located at 212 N. Antrim Way in Greencastle, and 49 Warm Springs Road in Chambersburg, will close for approximately two weeks, then re-open as newly branded Weis Markets.
During 69 years in business, the Martins created many traditions in Greencastle. They also later opened their second Sunnyway Chambersburg store in 1973. Aldine and Margaret Martin brought their children, Dean and Mike, into the family grocery enterprise. The family also owned other local businesses.
Dean Martin is Sunnyway’s current company president, while brother Mike is the Secretary-Treasurer. Tanner Martin is the latest family member to climb the ladder at Sunnyway. He was projected to be a next-generation leader, eventually taking the helm from his father, Dean, who started working at Sunnyway as a teenager.
In a media interview, Dean said several potential buyers had materialized over the years, and then Weis came calling with “an offer we couldn’t refuse.” The sale price for the two stores wasn’t disclosed.
Local Sunnyway shoppers have expressed disappointment at this sale, since many frequented these locally-owned grocery stores for decades. Patrons especially enjoyed the bakery, deli and meat departments. Joan Amsley of Waynesboro, adores Sunnyway’s bakery and spoiled her daughter with cream-filled treats every birthday. “Their donuts are heavenly,” Amsley said.
Bonnie Shockey is president of Greencastle’s Allison-Antrim Museum, and she commented about the Martin family and their store’s local impact. “They will be missed. Sunnyway was the first full-service grocery store in the Greencastle-Antrim area. The Martin family created a welcoming environment where customers could shop.” Shockey said she grew up with Sunnyway, and she and her husband still buy groceries there.
Greencastle resident and State Senatorial candidate Cameron Schroy said, “It’s a nice piece of our community, and it’s unfortunate to see it go.”
Weis Markets has established long traditions as well. Their history dates back to a 1912 store, when Harry and Sigmund Weis opened their first neighborhood grocery in Sunbury and called it Weis Pure Foods. Grandson Jonathan Weis now runs the company.
Like Sunnyway, Weis still cuts meat in their stores so local customers may see some familiar continuity after the two store’s transitional phases finish in November. Weis promotes healthy living by eating better while spending less.
Weis also prides itself on self-reliance — saying it processes its own milk from Pennsylvania dairy farms to make 60 flavors of its Weis Quality Ice Cream. The company also supports local farmers by buying more than 25 million pounds of locally-grown produce yearly.
These two Sunnyway stores will add to Weis’s existing local footprint– with other Pennsylvania locations in Chambersburg and Shippensburg, and with Hagerstown and Boonsboro stores in Maryland.
Current owner Dean Martin said the Sunnyway sale was bittersweet, but added, “It’s been our family’s pleasure to serve the wonderful people of Franklin County for over 69 years. We are comforted knowing that we leave our customers in the capable hands of Weis Markets.”
The original Greencastle Sunnyway store was at 200 N. Antrim Way, and the Martin’s moved to the current location in 1965. This second-generation store, now 59 years in business, is a brightly lit and colorful space with a former second-floor café. It is unknown how Weis will utilize that loft space after the store revamp. One definite change customers will notice: these two new Weis Franklin County stores will be open on Sundays.
Weis CEO Jonathan Weis recognized the mutual family ties linking the old and new stores. He said in a news release, “Sunnyway Foods, the Martin family and its associates are known for their service and dedication to their communities. As a company with a strong local focus, our goal is to build upon this strong foundation.”
Weis also stressed its commitment to current Sunnyway employees. “We look forward to interviewing the associates of these stores for employment with our company.”
The traditional local grocery business has changed dramatically during the past decade. Like many industries, larger chains have gobbled up smaller retailers. A recent Washington Post study found that only four retailers, Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons and Aldi, own about one-third of all U.S. grocery stores. Aldi recently celebrated a grand opening in Waynesboro. Additional sales earned by previously non-traditional food retailers like Amazon and Target have also shrunk the market share for small mom-and-pop stores.
Privately owned Greencastle area grocers expressed sadness at Sunnyway’s recent sale. A Glenwood Foods spokesperson said, “We’re sorry to see them closing.” At Kline’s Grocery in Shady Grove, a small retailer established in 1959, co-owner Zack Boward had mixed emotions. “I hate to see any independent store go,” Boward said, “but I’m happy for the Martins. They’ve worked hard and deserve to enjoy their success.”
Boward believes there is still plenty of market share for smaller independents. “Our local support has been wonderful,” he said. He stressed Kline’s would keep emphasis on fresh quality meats and deli products such as made-to-order sandwiches. “We only have two cash registers,” he said, saying Kline’s kept costs low so their prices were competitive with bigger stores.
The local grocery store climate will obviously never return to the 1950s business model. However, Franklin County shoppers still have multiple choices for unique shopping experiences that smaller retailers provide. They continue to compete against medium and large grocery chains that often tout efficiencies of scale as an environment for greater bargains.
As the Martin family retail store era ends, another family-owned chain with Pennsylvania ties takes its place. Shoppers will now test their loyalty to location, brand and other practical grocery needs, as they make decisions about feeding their families.
