Rite Aid executives and associates joined with Harrisburg officials for the ribbon-cutting at the Strawberry Square store.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. last month celebrated the grand reopening of its 14,000-square-foot Market Street store inside Strawberry Square, a 1 million-square-foot, mixed-use complex in the heart of downtown Harrisburg, Pa.

Mayor Eric Papenfuse joined Rite Aid executive vice president of store operations Bryan Everett and other company and community officials at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new store, remodeled to the drug chain’s Wellness Store format.

“Since announcing our plans for this store last June, many people have worked diligently to bring this project to fruition,” commented Everett. “We celebrate this new store and recognize those who played a role in this project, including the city of Harrisburg, Harristown Development Corp., our supplier partners and, of course, many local Rite Aid associates.

“Thanks to their efforts, our relocated Market Street store offers a design and shopping experience as unique as Strawberry Square itself, and perfectly illustrates our more than 40-year commitment to the city of Harrisburg and the people who live and work in the ­community.”

The remodeled location showcases the company’s highly popular Wellness Store format, now featured in nearly 2,500 Rite Aid stores nationwide. The store concept provides expanded clinical pharmacy services; a wider selection of health and wellness products and resources; and an enhanced store layout and shopping experience.

From the street-level entrance, customers will find a wooden floor path leading directly to the pharmacy department, the core of Rite Aid’s business. Wellness Stores have pharmacists on hand with special training in diabetes care and medication therapy management, as well as the ability to immunize against about a dozen diseases, including flu, pneumonia, shingles and whooping cough.

The Market Street location also features a one-of-a-kind in-store Hershey Sweet Shop that offers a variety of Hershey’s candy and specialty merchandise. The custom displays, developed in partnership with Hershey Co., offer a selection of apparel, novelty gifts, and the latest chocolate and candy treats, including Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s and Twizzlers.

“The new Rite Aid store in Strawberry Square is another sign of the great things happening in downtown Harrisburg and throughout the city,” said Papenfuse. “We applaud Rite Aid for investing in our city and supporting Harrisburg’s economic vitality.”

As part of the grand reopening celebration, the Market Street Rite Aid is hosting free customer events scheduled each week through July 14; these include health screenings, beauty events and product samplings.
In honor of the grand reopening, the Rite Aid Foundation presented a $10,000 KidCents donation to Joshua Group, a local nonprofit organization that addresses the academic and social needs of economically disadvantaged city youth and is one of the foundation’s inaugural KidCents charities.