Bottom Dollar resumes opening Philly stores

After closing more than 100 Food Lion locations and other U.S.markets (including two Philly-area Bottom Dollars) in the past two years, Delhaize America, the European-owned chain grocery store group, is opening two more Bottom Dollar stores in the Philadelphia area, at 6301 Chew Ave. in Germantown and 217 Butler Pike in Ambler, on Halloween, the company says.

In a statement, Ambler mayor Bud Wahl said Bottom Dollar will be the borough's only grocery and "will help to keep Ambler a walking community." Separately, Philly mayor Michael Nutter praised Bottom Dollar for bringing "healthy, affordable food" to Germantown.

Bottom Dollar has hired 100 local workers to staff the new stores. The chain operates 62 locations, most around 18,000 sq ft -- small by full-service grocery standards -- in Pa., N.J. and Ohio. Owner Delhaize operates Food Lion stores and other full-service chains in Delaware, Maryland and parts of the South.