When Geresbeck’s Food Market opened its doors in Pasadena, taking over the former Lauer’s Supermarket and Bakery, it marked more than just a new grocery store; it was a homecoming for the Greeley family and a commitment to fresh food and friendly service for the Pasadena community. This family-owned market carries a rich history and a deep-rooted philosophy centered on quality and customer care.
The story of Geresbeck’s Food Market begins with Carl Greeley, the family patriarch, who ignited his passion for grocery retail in 1971 with his first store, Foodland, in Orchard Beach. His journey continued with the establishment of Box & Save stores and the acquisition of Geresbeck’s Food Market in Baltimore in 1985. He recognized the strong local reputation of the Geresbeck’s name and decided to keep it, building upon its legacy. Carl’s vision for Geresbeck’s was built upon three pillars: exceptional seafood, a well-stocked deli, and a tempting bakery, all underpinned by unparalleled customer service. This successful model is what he brought to the Pasadena location, with the dedicated support of his daughter, Joanne Greeley Graham, and grandson, Justin Graham.
“Customer service and absolute freshness have always been his priorities,” Joanne explains, reflecting on her father’s guiding principles. “He always says, ‘If it’s not good enough for our family table, it’s not going on the shelves for our customers.’” This unwavering commitment to quality is evident throughout Geresbeck’s Food Market. A remarkable 90% of their salads are made from scratch in-store, ensuring freshness and homemade taste. Furthermore, Geresbeck’s prioritizes local sourcing for their produce, meats, and seafood, supporting regional vendors and ensuring the highest quality ingredients.
“We have a dedicated team that works overnight to prepare all of our signature salads,” Joanne adds, emphasizing the daily effort to maintain their fresh offerings across all three Geresbeck’s locations. The meat department at Geresbeck’s Food Market also upholds this freshness standard, with all cuts prepared directly on the premises. For busy customers, Geresbeck’s offers convenient and delicious ready-to-cook meals like imperial stuffed salmon and chicken Chesapeake, packaged in microwavable bags. Customers can also build their own quick meals from the extensive fresh salad bar, enjoy classic fried chicken, or pick up crowd-pleasing chicken wings and tacos, perfect for any gathering.
When the Greeley family took ownership of the Riviera Beach location, they infused it with Geresbeck’s signature branding, transitioning from beige and blue to a vibrant red and white color scheme. Beyond aesthetics, they also redesigned the store layout to enhance the shopping experience. By widening aisles and creating a dedicated seafood department, Geresbeck’s Food Market in Pasadena ensures a comfortable and comprehensive shopping environment. “We specialize in crab meat and shrimp, but our seafood department is also stocked with a wide selection of fish fillets, snow crabs, lobsters, scallops, and other fresh seafood,” Justin notes, highlighting the breadth of their offerings.
The commitment to quality and service at Geresbeck’s Food Market has garnered recognition. The Avenue News, a Baltimore County publication, recognized Geresbeck’s with awards for Best Produce and Best Bakery in their 2019 reader’s choice contest. Further accolades include a Master Marketer Award from SUPERVALU in 2018, acknowledging their excellence in seafood marketing. Walking through the aisles of Geresbeck’s is like taking a tour of local Maryland flavors. Shelves are stocked with beloved local brands like Ostrowski of Bank Street, Baugher’s Farm, Zeke’s Coffee, Taharka Brothers Ice Cream, McCutcheon’s Apple Products, Fisher’s Popcorn, and Roma Gourmet Sausage. Beyond everyday groceries, Geresbeck’s Food Market is known for its specialty food items that draw customers from near and far. Marshmallow-filled doughnuts, crab pretzels generously topped with Bill Bateman’s crab dip, and exquisite eclairs, so renowned they grace the dessert menus of local restaurants, are just a few of the unique culinary treasures found at Geresbeck’s.
Being community-oriented is as crucial to the Greeley family as offering a diverse range of quality foods. “We’ve always focused on community engagement,” Justin shares. “We host fun events like ice-cream eating contests and give out free balloons to kids during our store anniversary celebrations.” Joanne adds to this, “Every Thanksgiving, we show our appreciation by giving away pumpkin pies to the first 100 customers. It’s become a tradition – customers start lining up as early as 4:00 AM, turning the wait into a parking lot tailgate with football games!” Geresbeck’s also celebrates Labor Day by giving away 100 free watermelons, further demonstrating their commitment to community spirit. Geresbeck’s Food Market actively supports local organizations, including the Ed Reed Foundation and The SEED School of Maryland. In a significant act of giving back, Geresbeck’s partnered with the Ed Reed Foundation, Jimmy’s Seafood, and J.J. McDonnell to provide 600 turkeys and over 1,200 side dishes like sauerkraut, pumpkin pie, and corn to students in need during Thanksgiving.
Carl Greeley instilled the importance of community contribution in his family from a young age. Both Justin and Joanne have been involved in the family business since childhood, learning the ropes from the ground up. “He would wake me up bright and early every weekend and ask, ‘Are you ready to work?’” Joanne fondly recalls about her father. “My first tasks were counting pennies from the gumball machine. As I grew older, I worked in every department, learning every aspect of the store. He always taught me, ‘You need to know how to do every job yourself before you can guide others.’”
Now, with Geresbeck’s Food Market thriving in Pasadena and the family actively participating in the Pasadena Business Association, they have truly come full circle. Even at nearly 90 years old, Carl, affectionately known as “Pop” by his family, remains actively involved, working four to five days a week, supported by Joanne and Justin who are dedicated to continuing the Geresbeck’s legacy. “We are so happy to be part of Pasadena,” Joanne concludes. “We are a family-owned, third-generation business, and that’s something we are committed to maintaining.”
Visit Geresbeck’s Food Market at 8489 Fort Smallwood Road. They are open from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, Monday through Sunday. Please note that Geresbeck’s closes at 6:00 PM on Christmas Eve and is closed on Christmas Day.
