Hepfinger, noting that both local cases are still in the approval process and not yet final, said the decision to pursue liquor licenses wasn’t spurred on by competition.

“It’s not a decision driven to add customers but more of fulfilling customer needs,” he said. “It’s part of our commitment to our customers who want a one-stop shopping location.”

According to Hepfinger, the chain will remain focused on its customer base. Even the new 76,400-square-foot Giant supermarket at Monroe Marketplace in Snyder County won’t shake Weis’s focus, Hepfinger said.

“Size doesn’t necessarily make a store better,” Hepfinger said. “The right offering makes a store better. Our intention is to make sure we’re offering the right products to our customers along with the great customer service and (store) presentation.”

Weis has a 52,500-square-foot store in Hummels Wharf and a 47,646-square-foot store in Selinsgrove that competes with the Routes 11-15 commerce. Weis has talked about plans of expanding the 59,000-square-foot store near Lewisburg.

Hepfinger said any future expansion plans will be unveiled this spring at Weis’ annual shareholders’ meeting.

“We’re in the process of finalizing our capital expenditure plan, which approached $60 million this past year,” he said. “As we wind it down, we will take a look at what investments will be made to each store.”

Looking ahead, he said Weis’ success will remain bound to its loyal employee base — a commitment Hepfinger knows of first-hand.

“We have many employees who have been with us since high school and many multi-generation connections,” he said. “They have all become an extension of the Weis family. The part of this job I enjoy the most is teaching and working with people, seeing them grow as employees and move up the chain.”

** E-mail comments to jnorth@dailyitem.com.

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Weis by the numbers

** Founded: 1912 by Harry and Sigmund Weis as a small neighborhood store, Weis Pure Foods, on Market Street in Sunbury.

** Chain: Weis now has 155 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia. It also owns SuperPetz, a pet supply store with 28 locations in 10 states.