Vacant South Philadelphia Walgreens to Become Met Fresh

A vacant Walgreens at Broad and Snyder Streets in South Philadelphia will be transformed into a new Met Fresh supermarket in early 2026. Philadelphia will become the company's first store location outside the New York City area.

Met Fresh is a family-owned business with 15 years of experience operating in New York City and northern New Jersey. Met Fresh currently has locations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and northern New Jersey.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Met Fresh aims to create a community-focused shopping experience similar to traditional neighborhood stores. 

The 2014 S. Broad St. location was selected for its walkability, dense population, and significant lack of nearby grocery stores and pharmacies. The nearest supermarket is over a mile away, and pharmacy options have become limited after Walgreens and Rite Aid closed earlier this year. In addition, the nearest large drugstore is a CVS off Passyunk Avenue, seven-tenths of a mile away. 

Met Fresh previously considered a different site in Philadelphia's Mantua section in 2019, but plans fell through, leading the company to seek an alternate location. Met Fresh ultimately settled on the Broad Street site.

The new South Philly store will undergo extensive renovations, according to owner Omar Hamdan. Renovation work will include sourcing refrigeration equipment affected by tariffs on steel and aluminum. Met Fresh will hire 30 to 40 part-time and full-time employees from the local community.

The 13,000-square-foot supermarket will feature a pharmacy, fresh produce, and a deli. It plans to offer free grocery and prescription delivery services to area seniors. Hamdan said Met Fresh is also applying for a beer and wine license.

Hamdan told The Philadelphia Inquirer that he's excited for Philly consumers to be introduced to Met Fresh. He called the Broad Street spot “a test pilot to see how we do in the Philly market.”