Gilford Hannaford's to celebrate grand opening of new store Saturday, Sunday

GILFORD — A grand opening party will be held during the weekend of Nov. 12-13 to celebrate the relocation of the Hannaford Supermarkets store to a new 47,000-square-foot building with full-service pharmacy.

The pharmacy will offer services such as flu shots and feature a drive-through window, for customers who are on the go. The supermarket will offer a sushi bar, greatly expanded gluten-free and organic selection, extensive deli assortment and new in-store features designed to make it even easier for customers to shop for the healthy, affordable products they need.

''Customers will enter the supermarket through a much-larger, colorful produce area," said Larry Poliquin, store manager. "The whole supermarket will have a roomier feel and a bright look. Customers will be able to have their prescriptions filled while they shop for groceries.

The first 300 customers Saturday will receive gift cards that are randomly valued between $5 and $250, as well as a travel mug; live radio remote by WFTN; food sampling and other activities. The first 200 customers Sunday will receive a collapsible Hannaford colander as a door prize.

As part of the transition, the existing Hannaford Supermarket at 1458 Lakeshore Drive in Gilford will close at 8 p.m. on Nov. 11.

The new store will have nearly four times as much space devoted to gluten-free products. The number of natural and organic items also will increase, and those items will be integrated throughout the store to make it easier for customers to find the items they need. A new queue system will be introduced to speed the check-out process and provide a more consistent customer experience.

"Our new Gilford location will offer the everyday low prices and superior service that customers expect from Hannford," said Eric Blom, Hannaford spokesman. "Customers also will find a supermarket and pharmacy that have been carefully planned to meet the needs of today’s busy shopper and the community."

Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 179 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. All Hannaford stores feature Guiding Stars, America’s first storewide nutrition navigation system and most stores have full-service pharmacies. Hannaford employs more than 26,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.