Karns Quality Foods in Newberry Commons opens earlier than expected

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Karns Quality Foods opened its grocery store in York County months ahead of schedule.

Instead of an early 2020 opening, the store that anchors Newberry Commons in Newberry Township opened at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, October 30. It will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

The early opening can be attributed to all the ducks lining up in the correct order.

“All equipment was delivered on time, from the front-end technology to the meat crate,” Karns CEO Scott Karns said Monday during a tour of the new store. “We signed the lease on August 1, so we didn’t order anything until August 2. And we knew it would take at least nine weeks for the orders to arrive.”

Scott Karns said he wasn’t sure if they were in the right place for the orders or if it was luck, but the crate of meat and new records arrived in near record time.

That doesn’t mean they waited for this equipment to arrive to get to work. On the contrary, he says.

“We have people working here from 6 a.m. to about 10 p.m., seven days a week,” Scott Karns said.

Changes to the old Darrenkamp store

Although the bones of the store remain the same, people who have shopped at the old Darrenkamp store will notice a few differences that are more than cosmetic.

The aisles with shelves of non-perishable items in the center of the store are shorter. They have been cut to make room for the new layout of the butcher’s department.

Scott Karns and his daughter, Andrea Karns, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing, said the company is known for its meat department.

As you walk through the store, this meat aisle starts with a large crate that will house seafood. Then it’s on to a crate that will only hold chicken before hitting the long crates for homemade sausages, store-ground burgers and other cut-to-order meats.

Just beyond the meat crates is the bakery, where whoopie pies, cookies, cakes, and pies will be made from scratch every day.

The opening of the store brings 130 jobs to the region. Scott Karns said most positions have been filled, but some positions remain vacant, particularly in the bakery.

What can new Karns customers expect to find in the Newberry Township store?

In addition to groceries, Andrea Karns said customers will find regular perks and a few additions during the store’s first week.

“The first 125 customers on opening day will receive a reusable bag with a mystery gift card inside,” she said. “And with Fresh Rewards cards, customers can earn one point for every dollar spent on most items. These points add to the money in your grocery bill.

There will also be a mystery item special each of the first 10 days. Customers won’t know what the item is until they enter the store.

Karns will showcase York County

Like its other eight stores, the Newberry Township Karns will have direct ties to the county in which it is located.

“We have some York County products, like Chef Tim’s, that we have in our other stores, but we also have items from companies that are new to us,” Andrea Karns said.

Some of the businesses have reached out to be part of the new store. For others, like Reeser’s soft serve ice cream, potential customers have requested the product.

“People have been emailing and calling us since the announcement was made,” Andrea Karns said. “We heard about this opening from more people than any of the other stores.”

Community is important to the company, said Andrea Karns. Its other stores partner with local nonprofits in various ways. It has already started in Newberry Township.

Bags for Books is linked to the Red Land Community Library, which is located a few storefronts from Karns in Newberry Commons. Karns will donate 3 cents for each reusable bag used by customers.

“It may not seem like a lot,” said Andrea Karns, “but it adds up. It’s a win-win. It’s good for the environment because less plastic is used and it helps the library.

There is also a trash can at one of the exit doors for people to donate pet food and treats. They will be turned over to the York County SPCA.

“People unfortunately lose their pets and sometimes have no place to get that half-used bag of food or that unopened bag of treats,” Andrea Karns said. “We provide them with a place to give food and treats and then they can be used for other animals.”

Local produce is highlighted in the produce section just inside the front door of the new Karns Quality Foods store in Newberry Township.
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