Westbard Square’s new Giant Food grocery store opened on Jan. 26 after three years of construction. The old Giant closed at 10:00 p.m. on Thursday night, only eight hours before the new store opened at 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning.
Westbard’s new Giant is located on top of a three-story parking lot, and it now includes a pharmacy, an expanded hot-bar, freshly made sushi, a Starbucks and a small dining area upon entry. Giant is also partnering with Ledo’s Pizza, so the brand’s fresh and frozen pizzas will be included in its deli section.
Junior Nicole Ishak was surprised with the grocery store’s new model.
“When you walk in you can just tell it’s much more organized than before,” Ishak said. “It’s cool to see the new things they incorporated, like an upgrade.”
Giant employee Christian Pucker has been with the company for five months. So far, he believes the redevelopment of the store has had a positive impact on the company.
“It’s nicer than the other, and I like the new parking lot,” Pucker said. “It makes it easier for customers and employees.”
Employees also gave out custom water bottles during the reopening to show the company’s appreciation for customers’ ongoing support during the renovation process.
Regency Centers began constructing the Westbard shopping center in 2021 and planned to finish the first part of the multiphase project by the end of 2023.
One of the earlier phases of the construction plan was to redesign Ridgefield Road, the street that crosses into the shopping center. During this phase, one of the road’s primary exits was closed off, causing an inconvenience for residents of the neighboring streets.
Junior Marisa Janger said that the shopping center’s reconstruction has affected the way she navigates through her neighborhood.
“My road was closed for about six months and the construction caused us to create completely different routes and schedules,” Janger said. “But they did a good job of keeping the Giant open at all times.”
The redevelopment will also include more shops underneath Giant, new Westwood apartments and a park in place of the old Giant. The remaining phases of construction are set to finish in 2027.
