Bensalem Amazon Fresh is opening today. Here are the details including giveaways

The wait is over. Amazon Fresh opened Thursday morning in Bensalem to a long line of curious shoppers.

After two years of starts, stops, and persistent rumors, the much ballyhooed high-tech supermarket held its grand opening this morning with a ribbon cutting, $10,000 donation to Philabundance and Bucks County residents anxious to see the latest in grocery store shopping here.

Among the grand opening events was a chance to win $500 in groceries, Amazon gift cards for the first 100 customers in line, free "exclusive" Bensalem totes (while supplies last) and a $5 off $25 coupon at the store.

Typically, Amazon gives no indication of an opening date for its grocery stores.

The Brookwood Shopping Center location, on Street Road in the old K-Mart, in Bensalem was scheduled to open in late 2022. The delay fueled online rumors that Amazon had bailed on Bensalem leaving behind a so-called zombie store.

The store sat almost completed for nearly two years with no indication on when it would open, becoming known as a zombie store, joining other planned Amazon Fresh stores across the country that were built, near completion and never opened.

In February, however, Amazon CEO said during an earnings call the company was not abandoning its Amazon Fresh concept and within months stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania opened.

In recent months, Amazon had provided hints suggesting that the Bensalem store was inching toward opening.

In late June the company advertised on its online job board openings for grocery associates at the Bensalem store in the Brookwood Shopping Center in the 1800 block of Street Road. Typically the first sign of an impending opening is when job openings are posted.

In May the developer applied to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to extend the physical areas of the store where alcohol is sold; the area is covered in the liquor license. Late last year the developer applied for revised permits to replace refrigeration units, the first time in nearly two years the developer had sought new permits.

At the start of construction the developer obtained all the permits Bensalem required including the use and occupancy meaning the store can open whenever it wants without notifying the township

Amazon in Middletown opening?

A grand opening for Bucks County store No. 3 could be next.

For the first time the company last month the company advertised Grocery Associate openings at the location in the Lincoln Plaza shopping center off East Lincoln Highway in Middletown.  The post listed full and part time positions as well as ones described as “anytime,” which require 4 to 19 hours a week.

Amazon opened its first Fresh store in Bucks County in the Creekview Center in Warrington in August 2021.

Bensalem and Middletown locations each have liquor licenses currently listed as in “safekeeping,” meaning the licenses are valid, but not currently in use, according to the LCB website.  Middletown also recently applied to extend its physical area of the store where alcohol is sold.

Reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bensalem Amazon Fresh is opening today. Here are the details including giveaways