NORTH APOLLO: A landmark grocery store has risen from the ashes. Literally.
Held's Shop N' Save burned down 16 months ago as a result of an electrical malfunction.
The old store, which opened in 1961, was founded by brothers Clair and Daniel Held. The store was a fixture of the community for more than 40 years and held many memories for local shoppers.
"We only shop here," said Bernard and Eloise Kelly of Washington Township. "We always run into old friends."
The Kellys were hugging employees and enjoying the new store's wide aisles while filling their shopping cart Friday.
"It's almost like Christmas with this new store," Bernard Kelly said, smiling.
"I told them (Helds) if they didn't open soon we'd be shopping somewhere else," Kelly joked.
The Held family legacy lives on with the grand opening this Sunday. Co-owners Connie Davis and Karen Stanford carry on the traditions they learned from their dad, Clair Held. Although he is officially retired from the grocery business, he was still "here to lend a hand and help out," said Held as he greeted shoppers in the doorway Friday.
"It's been a long 16 months, but we always knew we'd rebuild," Stanford said. Two neighboring businesses were bought and relocated to accommodate the expanding store, which provides parking with a new 80-car lot.
The new store boasts more than 14,000 square feet of shopping space, more than double the size of the old store.
Separate areas feature a bakery, deli with a hot foods section and expanded produce section.
The old store had a smaller combined bakery-deli area.
"I love not sharing," joked Bonnie Gervasoni, deli manager and Held's employee for more than 24 years, referring to now having her own large deli area separate from the bakery.
Loyalty runs deep among employees at Held's. Fifty percent of the old employees endured unemployment to return to the new store.
"It was a nice vacation," said six-year employee Danielle Blystone.
Blystone returned and reflected on the past months. "I remember hearing about the fire on the news, then we (employees) found out our jobs were secure so I knew I'd go back. It's a fresh start."
Some employees worked other jobs to see them through until the store re-opened.
"I worked at Family Dollar," said Christie Mitcheltree of Apollo, "and I wanted to come back. It's so friendly here and the new store is bigger and better than ever."
Close-knit ties to the community are important to the Helds.
"We're still the Helds that people have come to know," Stanford said earlier.
Davis agreed, adding, "Just because we're newer and better doesn't mean we'll lose our ties to the community. We are grateful to our customers and friends who stood by us following the fire."
