New South Bethlehem grocery store to replace Ahart’s Market

“Access to fresh food and healthy groceries at affordable prices is paramount to Southside neighborhood residents,” Donchez said. “Maintaining and building sustainable neighborhoods remain a constant focus for city administration. I am thrilled Ideal Food Basket chose to locate here.”

05/10/2021

The former South Bethlehem Ahart’s Market has been sold for $2.3 million and the owner of C-Town plans to redevelop it into Ideal Food Basket, a full-service grocery store.

Ahart’s, 410 Montclair Ave., closed last month, leaving a large swath of the Southside without easy access to fresh groceries.

Juan Diaz, who owns East Third Street’s C-Town Supermarket, acquired the former Ahart’s with plans to renovate the interior and exterior and reopen later this year, according to a news release from the city. C-Town will remain open and operate independently.

“I am excited to expand my footprint in South Bethlehem,” Diaz said in a news release. “The opportunity to purchase this location was too good to pass up and I am pleased to be able to offer a full-service grocery store to the residents of South Bethlehem.”

The redevelopment plans include exterior and roofing repairs, total demolition of the inside of the store, new refrigeration, heating and cooling systems, changes to the store’s layout, and new store colors and logo design.

When Ahart’s announced its impending closure, Bethlehem elected officials and Mayor Bob Donchez pledged to attract another full-service grocery store to serve the neighborhood, which is considered a food desert. Food deserts often feature a large proportion of households with inadequate access to transportation and limited access to stores selling fresh produce and healthy groceries at affordable prices.

“Access to fresh food and healthy groceries at affordable prices is paramount to Southside neighborhood residents,” Donchez said. “Maintaining and building sustainable neighborhoods remain a constant focus for city administration. I am thrilled Ideal Food Basket chose to locate here.”

In the interim, the Kellyn Foundation’s committed to bringing its mobile market to the Ahart’s lot from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting this Saturday.

Ideal Food Basket stores are members of America’s Food Basket, LLC, a cooperative of independent food grocers in New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania. The cooperative started in 2007 with three supermarkets and has now grown to 50 stores, according to its website.

C-Town, 230 E. Third St., replaced Supermercado Mi Tierra after it closed in 2013. For about 20 years, Ahart’s was a vital source of high-quality and affordable food for residents of South Bethlehem and neighboring Fountain Hill.

Credit: Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com www.lehighvalleylive.com (Updated May 04, 2021; Posted May 04, 2021)