After 66 Years, Pennington Quality Market to Become McCaffrey’s
written by Seth Siditsky
May 15, 2026
For generations of Hopewell Valley residents, Pennington Quality Market has been more than a grocery store.
It has been the place where teenagers got their first jobs, neighbors caught up in the aisles, last-minute flowers were picked up before school concerts, and local organizations found a dependable community partner willing to sponsor an event, donate supplies or quietly lend support.
Now, after 66 years serving the community, Pennington Quality Market — known to many simply as PQM — is entering a new chapter.
The longtime independent grocery store will officially close on June 13 and reopen June 15 as McCaffrey’s Food Markets, ending an era that stretches back decades in Pennington Borough and in the Hopewell Valley.
For owner Mike Rothwell, the announcement has brought both excitement and emotion.
“Exciting yet bittersweet,” Rothwell said during an interview Thursday. “It’s been a great ride.”
The transition marks the first time in generations that the market has changed hands.
A family business built over decades
Pennington Quality Market traces its roots to 1960, though the current chapter of the business began when Larry Rothwell purchased the market in 1981.
Mike Rothwell joined the business in 1990 after working in New York and Connecticut. Over the years, he and his sister Barbara Rothwell Henderson helped expand the market while continuing the family-centered culture started by their father.
“My dad bought it in 1981, and when he came into this community, he was the new guy,” Rothwell recalled. “He realized that you’ve got to support the communities that support you.”
That philosophy became central to PQM’s identity.
The store sponsored countless community events, supported nonprofits, employed generations of local students and became deeply woven into the daily rhythm of life in the Hopewell Valley.
“The Rothwell family has been integral to the lifeblood of the Pennington area community for so many years,” Pennington Mayor Jim Davy said this week. “PQM over the years has been like the hub of local activity, where people in the community can come together, and it’s not just a shopping experience.”
Jason Meyer, chair of the Pennington Economic Development Commission, said the impact of the Rothwell family reaches far beyond groceries.
“They’ve really embraced being a deep part of the community,” Meyer said. “The Rothwells have always been eager to support all manner of local groups and charities and activities.”
Meyer added that PQM’s role as a local employer also shaped generations of families.
“They’ve employed generations of kids,” he said. “I hope they know how appreciated and loved they are.”
More than a grocery store
Inside PQM, near the front of the store, a large display case titled “PQM Is Proud To Serve Our Community” tells part of the story of the market’s role in Hopewell Valley life.
The case is filled with decades of thank-you letters, certificates, fundraiser recognitions, community awards and photographs from local organizations the store supported over the years — from schools and nonprofits to veterans groups and local charities.
Among the items displayed is a framed joint legislative resolution from the New Jersey Legislature honoring Lawrence A. “Larry” Rothwell following his death in 2018 at age 92. The resolution recognized Rothwell not only for building Pennington Quality Market into one of the region’s best-known independent grocery stores, but also for his military service during World War II and decades of civic involvement and charitable leadership.
The resolution references Rothwell’s support of organizations including the American Cancer Society, Trenton Rotary, local church groups and the Pennington Business and Professional Association. It also notes that the Hopewell Valley YMCA established the annual Larry Rothwell Social Responsibility Award in recognition of his commitment to community service.
“I think one of the things that really signifies the acceptance of the community for my dad all these years was when the YMCA established that award while he was still alive,” Mike Rothwell said. “That meant everything to my dad.”
For many customers, those community ties became part of what made PQM feel different from a typical grocery store.
Why now?
For Rothwell, the decision ultimately came down to succession planning.
“There is no succession plan,” he said plainly.
His son built a life elsewhere, and other younger family members pursued different careers. Meanwhile, Rothwell himself turns 70 in July.
“Ever since COVID particularly, it’s been a top priority for me to try to find the proper exit strategy,” he said. “If something happened to me, I didn’t want to burden my family, and I wanted to make sure I was providing for all of our employees.”
That concern for staff became one of the biggest factors in finding the right buyer.
McCaffrey’s, a family-owned regional grocery chain with stores in Yardley, Newtown, Princeton Junction and Pennsylvania’s Main Line suburbs, agreed to hire all current employees as part of the transition.
Many of those workers have spent decades at PQM.
“Some of them have never worked for anybody else,” Rothwell said. “We always called it our PQM family.”
When the sale was announced internally to staff earlier this week, Rothwell described the meeting as emotional.
“Some wonderful things were shared,” he said. “It typifies the family that was created here.”
Why McCaffrey’s?
Rothwell said the relationship between the two companies goes back many years.
“As we considered the future of the business, it was important to find a partner who shares our values and commitment to excellence,” Rothwell said in the company’s official announcement. “McCaffrey’s is a natural fit.”
The two family businesses have known each other for decades through the grocery industry, and Rothwell said the transition felt like the right cultural match.
“Another family-oriented business on a larger scale but practicing all the same priorities that we have for the way we do business,” he said.
Jim McCaffrey IV echoed that sentiment in the official announcement.
“We are honored to welcome Pennington Quality Market into the McCaffrey’s family,” he said. “PQM has built an outstanding reputation, and we look forward to building on that strong foundation.”
A changing shopping center — and changing retail world
Rothwell said the grocery industry — and retail overall — has changed dramatically in recent years.
“Ever since COVID, the world changed in many different ways,” he said. “A lot of retail businesses have struggled.”
Online shopping and delivery services have reshaped customer habits, especially for independent businesses without the scale of national chains.
At the same time, Rothwell believes McCaffrey’s arrival could strengthen the shopping center and attract renewed investment.
The company plans to remodel and update the store after taking over operations, while the shopping center itself may also see improvements over time now that there will be a new anchor store.
“I think McCaffrey’s will bring new energy and a new vibrancy to the market,” Davy said. “I think it will be a positive feature of our Pennington area community.”
Saying goodbye — but not leaving
Though the Pennington Quality Market name will eventually come down from the building, Rothwell said he and his family are not going anywhere.
“We love our home, we love this community,” he said. “We’ll continue to be here. I believe we’ll be among McCaffrey’s best shoppers.”
Still, he admits seeing the familiar sign removed from the storefront will be emotional.
“When that sign comes down after all these years, there’ll be a tear in my eye for sure,” Rothwell said.
In the weeks ahead, the store plans to celebrate its history with farewell signage, photos and messages to customers throughout the building. The final circular will come in the mail at the end of the month and will feature a thank you to the community. Patrons can also expect to see signs around the store.
For Rothwell, the focus remains on gratitude.
“The relationships through all of that support from the community, along with our employees, is what has been most special about operating the business,” he said.
Pennington Quality Market remains open throughout the transition and plans to only close for one day when systems are transferred over to McCaffrey’s in the middle of June.
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Seth Siditsky is the editor at MercerMe, and an award winning journalist with more than 20 years experience in local and regional news. He lives in Hopewell Township with his wife and three children.
