Jean Gundry of Emmaus didn’t frequently visit South Mall.
But during her second visit Tuesday to the new Giant supermarket at the shopping center on Lehigh Street in Salisbury Township, she said she expects go more often.
“It’s brand new [and] it’s clean,” Gundry said.
The reaction from Gundry and others is just one of the signs of renewed interest from shoppers and retailers in South Mall, the 400,000-square-foot shopping center that’s undergone several redevelopments over the decades.
“I like it,” said shopper Teresa Fernandez of Allentown, who found the new Giant more organized and varied than the former store at 3015 W. Emmaus Ave. in Allentown, which it replaced.
Giant opened Nov. 21 at the former Bon-Ton space South Mall, and offers produce, meat, seafood, dairy, sushi, floral services, a bakery, a hot food bar, alcoholic beverages, an in-store pharmacy and 10 on-site fueling spaces.
It joined the national discount retailer Burlington, which opened Nov. 1 and offers apparel, shoes, beauty products, accessories, home decor and toys.
Jennifer Loch of Allentown told The Morning Call she appreciated the new Burlington for its accessible layout and good deals. Her husband, Jacob, mentioned he hasn’t shopped as often at South Mall after GameStop closed there, but said he probably go more often now, especially as he finds the traffic easier to navigate.
Giant store manager Mike Ramos stands in the produce section Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in the newly opened Giant food store at the South Mall in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Shopper Jean Guidry of Emmaus shops for groceries Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in the newly opened Giant food store at the South Mall in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Produce is for sale Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in the newly opened Giant food store at the South Mall in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
People shop Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the newly opened Burlington in South Mall in Salisbury Township.
(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
People shop Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in the newly opened Giant food store at the South Mall in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Expanded food options are available Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in the newly opened Giant food store at the South Mall in Allentown.(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Expanded food options are available Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in the newly opened Giant food store at the South Mall in Allentown.(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Exterior of the newly opened Giant food store Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the South Mall in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
The in South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
The in South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Exterior of Burlington on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Exterior of Burlington on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Burlington store manager Mary Kreit stands near popular holiday decor Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the newly opened store in South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
People shop Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the newly opened Burlington in South Mall in Salisbury Township.
(April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Coats line aisles Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the newly opened Burlington in South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Coats line aisles Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the newly opened Burlington in South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
People shop Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, at the newly opened Burlington in South Mall in Salisbury Township. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
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Giant store manager Mike Ramos stands in the produce section Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in the newly opened Giant food store at the South Mall in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Shoppers can enjoy easier traffic in part because of the improved entrance that South Mall finished in the last couple of months, according to James Balliet, president of leasing agency the James Balliet Property Group, which operates under Keller Williams Real Estate. Instead of letting visitors drive up through the shopping center, they now have to turn either left or right after entering.
“It definitely [alleviated] some congestion too on the way out,” said Balliet, who helps handle the South Mall leasing alongside agent Benjamin Diaz.
The new Giant and Burlington follow a long history for South Mall, which owner Nicholas Park Mall LLC bought from Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust in 2014. The shopping center began building out in the 1970s and has seen many tenants come and go, including Bon-Ton, Hess’s, Weis, Cave Brewing Co. and Stein Mart.
Through the years, South Mall has experienced both advantages and challenges with its operations, Balliet said.
A big perk for the shopping center is its desirable location, he said, and access from the local highways and neighborhoods.
“In our world, it’s called ‘drive time,’ ” Balliet said. “Within a 30-minute drive time, you can get to a lot of people.”
Once a shopper arrives at South Mall, they’ll encounter two ways of entering a business. Stores like Giant and Burlington can be accessed directly from the parking lot, but customers have to use the mall’s primary indoor entrance for other retailers.
Balliet considers that kind of set-up — the enclosed mall — to be outdated and a hurdle.
“Not being able to access the store from the parking lot … it’s a little bit of a deterrent in a lot of situations,” he said, adding that one needs a compelling retailer to really make it work.
Despite challenges, Balliet believes that the recent upgrades, especially Giant’s opening, have changed the trajectory for South Mall, earning both renewed interest from potential regional and national retailers as well as increased customer foot traffic. He called Giant and Burlington the biggest openings since the days of Bon-Ton and Stein Mart, which closed in 2018 and 2020, respectively.
Balliet said South Mall would need to eventually “reinvent” itself to keep tenants coming in.
“It all comes down to traffic,” he said. “In the retail world, it all comes down to getting people to the mall, and that’s what Giant’s doing right now. And Burlington, they’re both doing that.”
Despite the just-below-freezing temperature, that traffic was clear even on a recent Tuesday afternoon, as Giant store manager Mike Ramos spoke to The Morning Call about the new supermarket.
A graduate of Easton High School, Ramos started with Giant as a cashier around 2007 and previously managed the Emmaus Avenue store, which he said it eventually outgrew.
“What I like the most is just the interaction through people,” Ramos said. “We get a lot of people from all walks of life. I love being … I use the word ‘nosy,’ but … ‘tell me about your culture. How do my culture and your culture relate? What do you do differently?’ I just find so much enjoyment in that. So I think that’s what kind of kept me around, just more so the people aspect of the business.”
Regarding feedback from shoppers and people on social media, Ramos said, “They love the Giant. I think it’s good for the community. They like that. Again, it’s connected to the South Mall. It brings just that much more people back in the area. I got a lot of older folks who tell me, when they were kids, that they enjoyed going to the South Mall and then after a while, it kind of just died down. And they were really hoping that Giant can bring some life back into the area, which I think we have been doing that so far.”
Burlington store manager Mary Kreit has worked with the chain for about five years and previously worked at one in Pottstown.
An Emmaus High School graduate, she used to shop at South Mall and called the shopping center a “great opportunity” for the retailer, especially now in the midst of holiday shopping.
“I really love the people and just leading a team, working together and … honestly, it’s all about the people,” Kreit said. “If it weren’t the people and even customers too, we wouldn’t be here. We’re here for them and we are part of the community too.”
Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Gorman said she used to shop at South Mall, especially Bon-Ton, and is glad that Burlington and Giant have reinvigorated the shopping center. She also highlighted Giant’s sponsorship of the township’s Light Up Night event last month at Franko Park.
“Obviously the economic boost that [South Mall] gives to the area in general is a benefit to the township,” she said. “We always welcome that. We’d like to make sure that commercial property is available for reuse and redevelopment when appropriate and when needed. So obviously that mall had been, according to what I’ve been told, vacated for some time with some small shops in there. So obviously we are grateful and happy to have them — Giant and Burlington — to come on board to fill up some space.”