A&P

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The A&P grocery store chain was "once the largest retailer in the world, with 15,000 stores, and renowned for its high quality and low prices."[1]

History

George Huntington Hartford and George Gilman entered the mail-order tea business in 1859. They started out at 31 Vesey Street in New York City under the name of The Great American Tea Company. They were successful, and decided to change their name in 1870 to The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. In 1880, two notable things happened. First, Hartford's sons, John and George, came into the family business. Second, The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company began marketing its first private label brands, including Eight O’Clock Coffee. by 1900, They boasted over twenty stores in their chain.[2]

In 1912, they expanded again by opening the first A&P Economy Store. These economy stores were usually manned by no more than one or two people. In 1930, A&P reached it's peak number of economy stores with the aforementioned 15,000 in operation.[3] In 1939, the chain began a wholeheartedly move toward the new newer trend of supermarkets, operating 1100 supermarkets and closing over half of the older “economy stores”. By 1940, A&P reduced its number of stores to just over 6000 while increasing its sales by more than half. Continuing on this successful trend, A&P had reduced its number of stores to just over 4500 by 1949, and continued to see greatly increased sales.[4]

By the 1950's the chain began a steady decline, as it failed to keep up with modern conveniences in its stores. Attempts to grow via acquisitions and store renovations generally failed, and the chain twice filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the 2010’s. Later in 2015, they shut down all supermarkets and ceased all operations by August 2016. Many of their supermarkets were sold to Albertsons-ran Acme Markets and Ahold-ran Stop & Shop, however some are still standing abandoned to this day.

However, the Eight O'Clock Coffee brand still exists: it was sold in 2003 and is now part of the Indian-based Tata conglomerate.

The store was mentioned in the secular song "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses, where the protagonist (a female who met an attractive man in January, but throughout the year was unable to meet him again) is provided with "the world's smallest turkey" from A&P.

List Of Store Divisions

  • A&P (NJ, CT, NY)
  • Pathmark (NJ, CT, NY, PA, DE)
  • Waldbaums (NY)
  • Superfresh (PA, NJ) (Sold to Key Food, Now Operates Stores in NY and NJ)
  • The Food Emporium (NY, CT) (Sold to Key Food)
  • Food Basics (Low Price Store)
  • Kohl’s Food Stores (WI) (Until 2003)
  • Farmer Jack (MI) (Until 2007)

References