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The basics:

• Brown’s shutters Di Bruno Bros. stores in Wayne, Ardmore, 9th & Chestnut in Philadelphia
• Remaining flagship locations include Rittenhouse Square, Italian Market, 9th Street bottle shop
• Refocused strategy emphasizes core stores, expanding online presence
• Wakefern distribution grows Di Bruno products, extends brand legacy

About two years after acquiring Philadelphia-based gourmet grocer Di Bruno Bros., Wakefern Food Corp. member Brown’s Super Stores is rethinking the banner’s brick-and-mortar footprint.

Brown’s recently closed three of the five Di Bruno Bros. stores it owned and operated. The move comes as part of an effort to refocus the business strategy.

Di Bruno Bros. sites in the suburban towns of Wayne and Ardmore went dark, a Brown’s media representative confirmed to NJBIZ. Additionally, the company shuttered a location at 9th and Chestnut streets in Philadelphia.

As of now, the banner has three locations remaining in the City of Brotherly Love:

• A large store at Rittenhouse Square
• Its original storefront at The Italian Market
• A bottle shop on 9th Street

“This was a difficult decision, but one that reflects our commitment to ensuring the long‑term sustainability and strength of the Di Bruno Bros. brand,” spokesperson Maureen Gillespie said. Di Bruno Bros. was founded in 1939 in the now-iconic South Philadelphia Italian Market. The specialty food retailer imports Italian and European specialty groceries.

From handcrafted cheeses to authentic Italian snacks, Di Bruno Bros. offers a diverse range of specialty items. The offerings blend local and global culinary traditions, for retailers, food service operators and customers across the country.

In March 2024, Brown’s took over operations at Di Bruno Bros.’ five retail locations and bottle shop in the Philly region. The grocer already owns and operates most of the area’s ShopRite supermarkets. The two family-run businesses did not reveal the financial terms of the deal.

Legacy moves

According to Gillespie, Brown’s “is refocusing its Di Bruno Bros. Market strategy on the heart of the brand — its two iconic flagship locations and its growing online business.”

“The Rittenhouse Square shop and the historic 9th Street Italian Market and Bottle Shop continue to embody the classic Di Bruno Bros. experience that generations of Philadelphians and visitors have cherished, while the expanding online business offers new customers another way to discover and enjoy the brand,” she said. “By concentrating on these core elements, we believe this is a positive reset that allows us to preserve and elevate the in‑store tradition while growing the brand’s reach in meaningful new ways.”

She went on to say, “We remain deeply committed to honoring Di Bruno Bros.’ rich heritage and ensuring its success for decades to come. As a family‑owned business, Brown’s understands the importance — and the challenges — of preserving independent legacy brands in today’s competitive market.”

A few months after Brown’s acquired Di Bruno Bros., Keasbey-headquartered Wakefern announced it purchased the grocer’s portfolio of branded products for an undisclosed sum. Since then, the co-op has focused on expanding distribution of the label’s most popular products, like signature cheese spreads, artisanal crostini and unique jams.

Gillespie said the Di Bruno Bros. branded product line “continues to grow dynamically.” She said it now reaches more customers than ever through expanded distribution via Wakefern.

“This growing network is helping make Di Bruno Bros. products more widely available, extending the brand’s legacy to a broader audience while maintaining the quality, authenticity, and craftsmanship that define it,” she said.