When it comes to supermarkets in New Jersey, the market is dominated by the likes of Shoprite, Stop & Shop and Acme. In recent years, Aldi, Whole Foods and Lidl have entered the market. So have the big guys like Target and Walmart, but the New Jersey supermarket landscape has evolved over the years.
New Jersey has seen its fair share of supermarkets come and go over the years. From major chains to small mom-and-pop shops, the state has seen a shift in the grocery industry that has left some stores struggling to keep up with the times.
Here are five New Jersey supermarket brands from our childhoods that are no longer with us.
Pathmark
Pathmark was a popular supermarket chain in New Jersey for over 40 years, with over 140 stores across the state at its peak. However, in 2015, the chain filed for bankruptcy and closed its doors for good, leaving many communities without a local grocery store.
Then there was the Pathmark Supercenter. Pathmark Supercenter was a large-format grocery store in North Bergen, New Jersey in 2003. However, the store struggled to compete with other large retailers in the area and closed its doors in 2015.
A&P
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, also known as A&P, was a popular chain of supermarkets in New Jersey and throughout the East Coast. However, after years of financial struggles, the chain filed for bankruptcy in 2015 and closed all of its stores, including 71 in New Jersey.
Foodtown
Foodtown was a popular supermarket chain in New Jersey for many years, with over 70 stores across the state. However, the chain faced financial difficulties in the early 2000s and was forced to close many of its locations. Today, only a handful of Foodtown stores remain in New Jersey. Many former Foodtown stores are still vacant today.
Super Fresh
Super Fresh was a popular supermarket chain in New Jersey and other East Coast states for many years. However, the chain was sold to A&P in 1995, and many of its stores were converted to A&P locations. The remaining Super Fresh stores were eventually closed or sold off to other supermarket chains. In 2016, the name was purchased by Key Foods and the brand is making a comeback in North Jersey.
Grand Union
Grand Union Supermarkets was a chain of grocery stores that operated in the United States from 1872 until 2013. At its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, Grand Union was one of the largest grocery store chains in the country, with more than 1,000 stores in the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions.
However, in the 1970s, Grand Union began to face competition from other grocery store chains, and the company struggled to keep up. In the 1980s, Grand Union began to divest some of its stores in an attempt to stay afloat, but this did little to improve the company’s financial situation.
By the 1990s, Grand Union was on the verge of bankruptcy, and in 2000, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Over the next several years, Grand Union closed many of its stores and sold off its remaining assets to other grocery store chains
The New Jersey supermarket industry has seen its ups and downs over the years. While some stores have managed to survive and thrive, others have struggled and ultimately closed their doors. These five examples serve as a reminder of the constantly evolving nature of the grocery industry, and the need for supermarkets to adapt to changing times and customer needs in order to remain successful.
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