Supermarkets

[Max]

When it comes to supermarkets, there is a lot to discuss: possible topics include (1) your favorite chain, (2) smaller stores vs. modern-day superstores, and (3) any memories of supermarkets that you may have from yesteryear.

Of course, supermarket chains vary from region to region. Where I live in northern New Jersey, the major chains are A&P (The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company), Acme, Pathmark, Shoprite, and Stop & Shop. Out of all of these, my favorite chain is A&P; the reason for this has nothing to do with their prices (which are higher than those at Shoprite) or their modern-day superstores, but rather is due to the chain's rich history.

While A&P is only a regional chain today, it was much broader in scope several decades ago. As recently as the 1970's, A&P operated just about everywhere east of Kansas. (Due to this huge presence, A&P still enjoys large levels of name recognition even in areas where they no longer operate.) Sadly, the past 40 years have seen A&P exit market after market, to the point where the company now just operates stores in the New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore areas (either under the A&P name or under their Superfresh, Waldbaum's, or Food Empourium banners).

Back in its heyday, A&P was famous for its many store brands, including Ann Page, Jane Parker, and Eight O' Clock. (The Eight O'Clock coffee brand still exists today, though it is no longer owned by A&P.) A&P was just as famous for its iconic "Early American/Colonial" store prototype, shown at the link below:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Ei2Ik5quiI0/SzAqvFowtpI/AAAAAAAADkA/bzaTEmwaYGc/s1600-h/a%26p+clarksville+ind+1968+pleasantfamilyshopping.jpg

These beautiful supermarket buildings (made of brick and sporting a weathervane and cupola on top) were constructed from circa 1957 to 1972, and were called "Centennials" because they officially made their debut for A&P's 100th Anniversary in 1959 (even though, as I just stated, some were built as early as 1957). If you happen to live anywhere east of Kansas, I'm sure that you've seen one of these in your lifetime, as A&P built them in the thousands.

Sadly, A&P (in the geographic reogions where they still opereate) was very agressive in purging these Centennial locations back in the 90's, and replacing them with new superstores. Only about a half-dozen remain in operation (as A&P supermarkets), including this store (which is missing its weathervane and cupola) in Morristown, NJ, pictured at the following link:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_246OMBI86f8/S5qfTwO6JuI/AAAAAAAAC-M/52nQQEfuoUg/s1600-h/acme_style_a_and_p_bonus_01.jpg

[soapfan770]

I spent three years of my teenage life working in annoyingly small community grocery store that even though its been several years now I hate, loathe grocery stores of sorts. I hate waiting in long lines with fat snotty people and disgruntled cashiers. I always try to be nice because I know exactly the position they are in because I've worked in the same position, but when they are just nasty to a customer(whether the customer is asking for it or not_ I also remember how some of my fellow co-workers were such hags and nags and lazy asses. Oh well.

These days I make quick runs through the stores and only use the self-check machines. Unfortunately too many times there is some 80 year old man with 50 items who doesn't know what he's doing.

Best supermarkets in my opinion? They would be Smiths, Albertsons, and then King Soopers. They all let you take alcohol through the self-check out machines

[Max]

Soapfan770, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on supermarkets. Even though there are no Albertson's stores in my area, it definately is a name I recognize. In fact, aside from Albertson's, there are a couple of other supermarket chains--among them A&P, Kroger, and Safeway--that enjoy name recognition in just about every region of the country.

I can certainly sympathize with you regarding how hellish it is to work in a grocery store, as I have always heard supermarkets (regardless of chain) are terrible places of employment. Out of curiousity, how small was the supermarket where you worked? Note that I actually have visited the Morristown, NJ A&P (pictured in my first post), and can tell you--as a comparative yardstick--that the store has only eight aisles (including the produce department) and five check-out lanes, along with a small deli in one corner of the store and a small bakery in an opposite corner. (Despite the store's small size, however, I find it to be an absolute treasure because shopping there is like taking a step back in time. Amazingly, the store still has some 40-plus year-old A&P coffee grinders, which no doubt have been there since the store opened.)

I was searching YouTube, and found some old commercials that I'd like to post. The first is from A&P's "Proud New Feeling" campaign of the 1980's:

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The second commercial is also of the "Proud New Feeling" campaign, but actually has the full jingle. Note that this commercial was for A&P's Superfresh division:

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Here's yet another A&P commercial, this time promoting their "Great Store Just Next Door" campaign of the 90's:

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name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Finally, I'm going to post a commercial from the Shoprite chain of supermarkets. This below ad promotes their yearly "Can-Can Sale." Although this commercial was from 1983, this catchy jingle is still used today:

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name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[soapfan770]

Well the store where I worked at when I first started working at had twelve aisles and five check out lanes plus two additional registers at the liquor counter which were used as relief. We orginally just had a small deli and small produce section.

Usually our busiest time of the day was between 4 and 8. The grocery store I worked at was in a subdivsion of about 5000 people about 15 minutes outside of town. It wasn't a place you'd buy a whole lot, just a few things you needed that didn't require the 15 min drive back into town and didn't mind shelling out some extra money for. The store is owned by a guy named John Brooks, I believe he still owns it along with about 6 or 7 other small grocery stores in smaller communities like that. We were only opened from 7AM-9PM daily, while the stores back in town were usually open til midnight. I think one Albertson's was open 24 hours.

During my third year there the store expanded with the growing population of the community. A couple of locally--owned restaurants had opened up and another shopping center was built with rumors of a major grocery chain store going in at that one. So when I had left, the store had 18 aisles and we installed four shelf-check out machines. We expanded our deli, produce, and meat/fish areas and also we added a bakery.

A little more recent info, That other grocery store never came, and last time I visited I had heard the "rival" shopping center owners had defaulted on their loan. In fact growth pretty much stopped in that area with the real estate bubble bust. Both those restaurants have been shuttered since, and last I checked Subway was the only thing open still in the other shopping center.

I will say though I had the same manager work there all three years, and he was nothing but kind and flexible with me. It was some of the supervisors who got on my nerves. While I don't disagree that my fellow cashiers and then eventually myself got the job of supervisor(which is when I finally quit--that was too much!), some of them went on a freaking power trip.