Photo Credit: Sharp Shopper Website
By Bryanna Epstein ‘25
Sharp Shopper Grocery Outlet is the best discount grocery outlet store that you could shop at. The customer service at the Leola location is extravagant and like no other. The discounts compared to other stores are so drastically good that they can not compare to one another.
Sharp Shopper opened in December of 1988, with the original store located in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The store was started by married couple Dennis and Bonnie Sharp, who would later transfer ownership to their sons Mike and Darren Sharp. There are now nine stores in total under the name Sharp Shopper. Locations vary within Virginia and Pennsylvania. Sharp Shopper’s revenue is around 15.1 million dollars a year.
The Leola location, which opened in March of 1998, primarily located on 35 West Main Street, Leola, PA, would stay at that location for 8 years until being moved on March 1st, 2006. The grocery outlet would be relocated to its current spot at 340 West Main Street, nearly 2 miles down the road. Every store is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Leola store is managed by Store Manager, Chad Weaver, and Assistant Manager, Kathy Bleacher.
The items sold at each location are the same so, whether you go to the Middletown store in Pennsylvania or the store in Waynesboro, Virginia, the items sold are the same. Each store sells closeout items that become available because of overproduction, packaging changes, seasonal items, warehouse damage, or short-date codes. Items that are also sold include: fresh bread, dairy products, produce, bulk foods, soft drinks, and more.
Items are sold at reduced prices with items being sold at 3 for 1 dollar, or 2 for 5 dollars, etc. If the packaging of the product is messed up the product will be sold at an even lower price. If an item is not selling well the store will reduce the product’s worth and make it cheaper.
Shelving within the store remains the same in each location. Aisle of the outlet stores mostly have crates on the floor with the products being sold in bulk. The items on the shelves include soda cans or non-general merchandise.
When proceeding to check out, there are seven registers with cashiers who have to type everything in. The cashiers will invite customers to their lines so customers do not have to wait a long time before getting help. The cashier will engage in conversation with every customer who goes through their register, creating a safe and happy environment for everyone.
When going through the register, a customer will be greeted by a variety of different cashiers. In the afternoon after school gets out, you can usually see three high school students each night. During the day you can see older women who are open for conversation. On Saturday a customer can see a mix of both. As well as a cashier who can speak Spanish to make communication easier for customers who are more comfortable speaking Spanish.
The manager at the Leola Location other than the Store Manager and the Assistant Manager includes two supervisors and four other managers. Each manager that is on duty, there is always at least two managers on duty, is responsible for either the front of the store or the back of the store. Whenever anybody has a problem the managers are ready to help out in any way possible.
There are workers always on the floor restocking products and cleaning up any needs. Whether that work is in produce, dairy, or bulk they are always being diligent and cautious to provide the shoppers with the best experience possible. Baggers are up front to help customers out with their bags or accommodate help with groceries to their cars. Sharp Shopper is inclusive as they have workers that are on the spectrum, as some other places would not provide work.
Every store is open Monday through Saturday excluding Sundays and holidays. Current holidays where Sharp Shopper is closed are New Year’s Day, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving Day. On the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Christmas Eve, or New Year’s Eve every store is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays are closed so that the company employees have a day of rest and worship with their families.
Sharp Shopper takes many different payment types, but the one payment the store does not take is American Express. Each store takes cash, checks, EBT (SNAP/food stamps), credit/debit cards, and Apple/Samsung Pay. You can get up to 40 dollars cash back, and can not tap your card when getting cash back. Making it easier to pay for your groceries.
Why go? Well because, every time you go to Leola Sharp Shopper, or at any location, you will see the same smiling face ready to help you out and have a smooth shopping experience. Sharp Shopper is a good place to shop at. It is always filled with new options and things to try and products with little to no tax. If you want to shop at a place that has not raised its price astronomically due to inflation go to Sharp Shopper and get three times as much as you would at a regular store.