CosMc's

CosMcs screenshot taken from a TikTok (I was desperate!)

 McDonalds have just launched a new chain called CosMcs, named after a character from their kids' commercials from decades ago. It's supposed to be a coffee chain, competing with Starbucks and Panera. McCafé (the chain as opposed to the brand itself) is already a separate subsidiary outside the US, so the Chicago-based behemoth had to create another division with its own identity. The suburb Bolingbrook will have the flagship and ten will open in Texas. It won't be as big as the main chain, but maybe it could be franchised and work its way east. Closed McDs and competitors around the country can be putty in their hands. It's early days, so I couldn't even AI myself a CosMcs that I could use since I can't afford a flight to O'Hare or Midway right now. Some spots I put down would likely just be demolished and have the new store built from scratch, while others could be done up. A few things from the parent restaurants ménu like the quintessential Egg McMuffin will carry over to the new place while launching items exclusive to there.

Liverpool - Elwood Davis & Buckley Rds and 7th North St; former Burger King

Liverpool (Bayberry) - CR 57; former Arbys

Auburn - NY 5; former Tim Hortons

North Syracuse - US 11 and South Bay Rd, Northern Lights; former Hofmann Hot Haus/Salt City Dogs (would have to be demolished)

Oneida - NY 5; former KFC?

Cicero (1) - Circle Dr; former Jimmy Johns

Cicero (2) - NY 31 & Thompson Rd; former Eckerd/Rite Aid (since getting CVS in won't work)

Baldwinsville - Downer St; former Rite Aid

deWitt - NY 5; former CoCos/Korean restaurant (must be turned into building site)

Cortland - NY 281; former McDonalds proper

Daves Hot Chicken

Daves Hot Chicken in LA County, Koreatown

 After a tip from a relative (who confused todays topic with a previous one), I decided to do Daves Hot Chicken, a west coast chain that specialise in Davidson County style chicken. I was looking for another subject to even out the number of posts published to date, and it turns out to be another chicken place. I don't eat as much of it as I used to anymore, even at home. At first they were opening in Warren County, then closer to me in Cicero, then back down the Thruway to Albany, yet there's not another until Montgomery County of all areas. One of the fastest growing chains today, Daves could roost in your neighborhood next. I've never had Nashville chicken, yet these southern ones sound spicy (even KFC).

New Hartford - Sangertown Square; NY 5 & 5A

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria; US 9

Kingston - Hudson Valley Mall; US 9W

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall; NY 5 & US 20

Watertown - former Titled Kilt; NY 3

Cortland - former kmart; NY 281

Ithaca - former Hobby Lobby; NY 13, 34 & 96

Binghamton - former Giant/Weis/Grand Union; US 11

Henrietta - former Savers

Williamsville - former Best Buy; NY 78

Price Chopper/Market 32 vs ShopRite

Possible new location in Colonie (collage of two Wiki-snaps)

 After a months time of agonising over the future of five shuttered ShopRites in the Capital Region, we learnt that their competitor Price Chopper/Market 32 have acquired them. There has been mixed reaction. While it's great that the properties won't be empty for long, others slated the sale for the Rotterdam-based company for having a monopoly by keeping out other chains (namely union ones, which ShopRite are). The Niskayuna and North Greenbush stores will be the first to become Market 32 stores in 2024 since they're not overlapping existing stores too closely. The Slingerlands store off NY 85 will sublease since there's a 32 a stones throw away (I've gone to both, but only the latter under the old name). The two on NY 5/Central Ave in Colonie and Albany proper will be the biggest challenge yet. Northeast have to sort it out with the owners of the ShopRite parcels. It's likely that Price Chopper could move out of Colonie and Westgate Plazas respectively and down the road. That opens of the possibility of rival retailers replacing real estate easily. It'd be nice if Grand Union came back to the immediate area after two decades away (more on putting them in other counties nearby in previous posts) so there'd be a UFCW employer again after a year of labor upheaval around the globe. The gas stations will be sold. Unless one is nearby each, a Sunoco franchise would make sense because of the longtime FuelAdvantedge scheme at Price Chopper/Market 32 (there was Mini Chopper at the Pine Hills store decades ago).  While in the rural communities after buying remaining Grand Unions in 2013, Tops are unlikely to be brought in to either the old or new sites since Northeast may not want both chains at close quarters again like in Central New York and the Mid-Hudson Valley.

Now when I visit again, there'll only be a couple places I don't have near home yet (Hannaford have their own fish to fry in Fayetteville). At least it won't be like other vacancies that sit untouched for years or even generations. To think Rachael Ray has known Price Chopper forever and recently appeared at an event downstate sponsored by ShopRite!

The Fresh Grocer

Fantasy location in Colonie, NY (Albany County)

 The Fresh Grocer have been part of Wakefern for just over a decade, but may be overshadowed by sister chains ShopRite and Price Rite outside the Philadelphia area if not the Tri-State. The Fresh Grocer are opening a new store next spring or summer downstate in Oakdale in a former Best Yet Market (which had moved and is now a Lidl) and Fresh Food Market (short-lived unrelated indie). Back Upstate, ShopRite just closed a handful of stores in the Capital Region and one outside the Catskills. They could've stayed within the company, even though there'd be confusion with The Fresh Market in Latham with the generic use of "Fresh". A rebrand would mean less baggage and a new focus. Price Chopper/Market 32 bought the five, but will sublease one, working on two, and making a couple their own (which I had to delete).

Albany - NY 5

Colonie - NY 5 (pictured)

Slingerlands - NY 85 & Vista Dr.

Ellenville - US 209

Clifton Park - Wilton Mall

Sierra

Hillsboro, OR store; 2019

 Sierra, formerly Sierra Trading Post, part of the TJX conglomerate which includes TJ Maxx, TK Maxx (UK), Marshalls and Homegoods, are opening on NY 5A in New Hartford (in the old Bed Bath and Beyond, which is a good vacuum to fill for many other chains). They are considering Syracuse. I have heard of them, but wasn't sure if they could be that close to their sister stores. Off we go!

deWitt - NY 5, Marshalls Homegoods Plaza; former Bed Bath and Beyond

Albany (Colonie) - Wolf Rd.; former Bed Bath and Beyond/ShopRite

Cortland - NY 281; former Walmart

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96; former Tops or Hobby Lobby

Binghamton - US 11; former Giant/Weis/Grand Union

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A; former Macys; Sangertown Square

Watertown - NY 3; former Christmas Tree Shops, Salmon Run Mall

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall

Amherst - NY 78; former Best Buy

Henrietta - former Savers

Former ShopRite locations

Former Colonie store. Courtesy Tyler A. McNeil/Wikimedia Commons.

 I heard of ShopRite when I was younger through adverts on NYC TV stations on cable when they were indie (more on that on our sister blog). I didn't realise they were in the Capital Region in those days, being loyal to Grand Union, as well as being in Price Choppers backyard. It wasn't until I was away at school in between when I finally went on a regular basis. When I came back to CNY for good, I would later discover non-union sister chain PriceRite (covered years earlier here). I would go to ShopRite in the Tri-State the last two times I went before they were back up the Hudson over a decade ago. I just received the stunning news that a handful of O&Os in Schenectady, Albany and Renssalaer Counties are closing by the end of the year (the nail on the coffin lid was hit on 18 November, with Price Chopper/Market 32 getting those stores just ten days on). People started in on the W-word and all (wouldn't fit anyway, and they said it's not on). If I go to New York City again, I'll just go in that area, despite the plethora of competition in the boroughs alone. This is just a small list of NY and NJ stores as there as dozens more that aren't around any longer.

Montague, NJ - NJ 23

Wayne, NJ - CR 504

Slingerlands - NY 85; TBA

Ellenville - US 209

Drexel Hill, PA (moved to new store next door; sister chain The Fresh Grocer based here)

Albany (1) - US 20 (closed by late '80s)

Albany (2) - NY 5; TBA (maybe Market 32)

Colonie (1) - Wolf Rd. (closed by late '80s; later Bed Bath and Beyond; now vacant)

Colonie (2) - NY 5 (pictured); TBA (maybe Market 32)

Rotterdam - 1426 Altamont Ave (closed by late '80s; now plaza)

Menands - NY 32 (later Price Chopper; now offices)

North Greenbush - US 4 & NY 43; becoming Market 32 in 2024

Niskayuna - NY 146 & Nott St E (previously Grand Union); becoming Market 32 in 2024

Cortlandt Manor - US 9

Vestal - NY 434 & Rano Blvd. (later Giant [local chain, not Ahold Delhaize one]; now Weis)

Poughkeepsie (Arlington) - US 44 & NY 55; TBD

Newburgh (Balmville) - NY 32 (now Ocean State Job Lot) (current store down the road in Vails Gate)

Hyde Park (1) - US 9 (plaza store closed in 1998; now Stop & Shop in Hyde Park Mall)

Hyde Park (2) - US 9 & CR 40A (opened 1998; became Stop & Shop in 2001 and closed in 2012 when new store opened across the road. Old site demolished and is now park space. Meanwhile, ShopRite opened in North Poughkeepsie in 2021 at Hudson Heritage, past Culinary Institute of America and the City of Poughkeepsie across US 9 from Marist College. I left the Hudson Valley in 2000 and last visited in 2010, so I'm just catching up!)

Great American/Victory Markets

Margaretville Victory store, 1976. Courtesy John Margolies/Library of Congress.

 I remember Great American and Victory Markets from the old days. Wikipedia has no mention of when Leominster, MA-based Victory merged with Norwich-based Great American, which had stores from the Southern Tier, CNY, North Country, Adirondacks, Central Leatherstocking and Capital Regions, Mohawk and Hudson Valleys and close to the Catskills. Some had a distinct shape that can easily be recognised by those of a certain age group. Others still are open today or only just closed in recent memory while some are long gone. Hannaford and Big Y bought Victory locations in New England. Back in Upstate NY, at least one had been and another now is a Grand Union as well. More of them would be primarily in small towns. When they left, they would become rural food deserts (which can be worse than urban ones, being further away from anything comparable). Competition from P&C, Price Chopper and other chains meant Great Americans, like so many mom and pop operations (the latter day stores like Big M, Save a Lot, IGA and ShopRite are franchises [Victory acquired several ShopRite franchise stores in Albany and Warren Counties in late 1988, while ShopRite returned to the District in the 2010s with O&Os]), were becoming fewer by the day.  I will list as many as I can, but only put highways for areas that I know because it can take all day, even for smaller ones. There may be even more, but this is the gist of it. Many have been lost to obscurity (and I don't where they all are, yet our partners at Groceteria have a treasure trove, and I just can't catch up!).

Bridgeport (NY 31 & 298) - only one I ever went to as such; long since vacant

Fayetteville (NY 5) - also Victory; later Super Duper, now dance studio (still has distinct design)

Manlius (NY 173) - later Smiths, now Dollar Tree

Fort Plain (NY 80) - later Grand Union and Big M, now Save a Lot

Canajoharie (NY 5S) - now farm equipment business?

Sidney (BK5, recently closed)

Sidney (demolished, now Town Plaza)

Greene – Victory Market – South Chenango Street (became a Great American BK5; now closed)
Groton – Victory Market – 1980 Main Street (never a Great American)
Guilderland – Great American – 1235 Western Avenue (US 20) (formerly Shop Rite)
Hamilton – Victory Market – 11 Eaton Avenue (became a Great American)
Hartwick – Victory Market – Main & South Streets (became a Peter Pumpkin)
Hancock – Victory Market –East Front Street (became a Great American)
Hankins – Victory Market - (never a Great American)
Herkimer – Victory Market – 232 West Albany Street (NY 5) (became a Great American)
Herkimer - Great American - (NY 5S?) (formerly Loblaws)
Hinsman’s Corners – Victory Market – 1318 Upper front Street (never a Great American)
Homer – Victory Market – (never a Great American) (US 11)
Horseheads – Great American – Arnot Mall – 3300 Chambers Road (now Arnot Event Center)

Star Lake (NY 3)  - previously IGA; demolished; now Dollar General

Syracuse (Eastwood) (NY 290) - Victory Video; later James Flowers; now vacant

Norwich (flagship and 82 N Broad St [NY 12]) former now ALDI?; latter now Walgreens

Norwich (cold storage warehouse on E. Main St.; later Tops; now Grand Union)

Utica (then-NY 5/8/12 and Bleecker St)

Albany (near UAlbany)

Ellenville (US 209)

Lake George (US 9)

Mexico (NY 104)

Glens Falls (Upper Glen Rd) - previously ShopRite

Bainbridge (NY 7)

Unadilla (NY 7)

Margaretville (NY 30) - pictured; Victory, now the Catskill Mountain Christian Church School

Schoharie (NY 30)

Oneonta (NY 7 & 28)

New Berlin (NY 8 & 80)

Binghamton (Main St and S Washington St)

Prattsville (NY 23) - last surviving store with ties to the chain (not counting any unrelated stores outside Upstate NY due to generic nature of the name)

West Winfield (US 20 & NY 51) - now Dollar General

Oxford - now Dollar General

Watertown (NY 3) - now a mental health facility

Boonville (NY 12)

Cairo (NY 23) - now Hannaford

Adams Center (US 11)

Alexandria Bay (NY 12)

Apalachin (NY 17)

Camillus (W Genesee St) - Camillus Plaza; later Price Chopper and P&C; now Tops

Canastota (NY 13)

Barneveld (NY 365)

Camden (NY 13)

Catskill (NY 32)

Chadwicks (Main St [now Oneida St?])

New Paltz (NY 299)

Afton (NY 7)

Cooperstown (NY 28 & 80) - later P&C, now Grand Union

Delhi (NY 10)

Fonda (NY 30A)

Liberty (NY 52)

Lyons Falls (NY 12)

Sherburne (NY 12)

Richfield Springs (US 20)

Tully (US 11 & NY 80)

Ilion (NY 5S)

Whitesboro (NY 69) - previously Loblaws

East Greenbush (US 9 & 20)

Hudson (US 9)

Catskill (US 9W)

Colonie (Wolf Rd)

East Stroudsburg, PA (US 209) (only non-NY store)

Syracuse (south side) (US 11) Victory; previously Johnsons; now Dunk & Bright?

Westvale (NY 5) - Victory; previously Johnsons, later IGA

Jordan (9 Mechanic St) - later Big M and Tops; now Family Dollar

Syracuse (east side) (NY 5)

Syracuse (downtown)

Jamesville (NY 173)

van Buren/Seneca Knolls (NY 48) - now Big M flagship (may be confused with next one up the road)

Baldwinsville (NY 48) - later ValuWay

Baldwinsville (Downer St) - Tri-County Mall, long since demolished

Dryden (NY 13 & 38) - now Clarks ShurFine

Grand Gorge (NY 23 & 30)

Clinton (NY 12B)

deWitt (NY 5)

Chittenango (NY 5 & 13) - later Smiths, now Kinney Pharmacy

Syracuse (east side) - Victory; previously Acme

Syracuse (east side) (NY 5) - Victory only

Syracuse (east side) (NY 5) - Victory; previously Giant Food (not chains from Southern Tier/MD/PA) and Johnsons

Syracuse (north side) (NY 298) - Victory; previously Johnsons; later Big M; now Diamond (cornershop)

Syracuse (NY 92) - Victory; previously Red & White (brand still exists)

Syracuse (NY 92) - Victory; previously Market Basket (not New England chain)

Cazenovia (US 20) - first in region; later P&C, now Tops

Cincinnatus (NY 26) - later Peter Pumpkin

Cherry Valley (US 20) - previously Oneida Supermarkets (1968-?)

Clayville (NY 8)

Conklin (NY 7)

Cortland (NY 13) - Great American and Victory

Cortland (NY 41 & US 11?) - Victory only

Cortlandville (NY 281) - also both

Deposit - Elm & Monument Sts.

deRuyter (NY 13)

Eaton (NY 26)

Edmeston (NY 80)

Jeffersonville (NY 52)

Kingston (US 9W)

Whitney Point (US 11)

North Syracuse (US 11) - Victory; previously Market Basket

New Hartford (NY 5A) - Tehan Plaza; previously Loblaws, Chicago Markets and Tops; now Hannaford

Syracuse (north side) - later Wegmans, now Tops

Menands (NY 32) - previously ShopRite, later Price Chopper; now offices

Switz's: 30 Years On

Switz's sometime between 1987-92 (no free image, but has no copyright)

 Every year around this time, people in and/or from my area and generation remember Switz's, a variety store that was located in North Syracuse. It was originally founded in 1947 on Syracuses south side, and in 1954 across town, it was relocated to North Plaza up US 11 at Lawrence and S Bay Roads. Then in 1984, it moved to the building you see here that most CNYers reminisce about in the fall around the corner, a mock Tudor/Bavarian style building overlooking I-81 a mile from the airport. It was the place to go each Halloween for eight years' time. Tour buses would get off in Mattydale or E Taft Road depending on which direction they were heading. The owner purchased a .8 tonne, 5 yards tall ogre in then-West Germany named Oscar, who was more than a Grouch! There was a display of a graveyard and a band of skeletons. Switzs stocked the widest selection of costumes, makeup and accessories in the area. The last Saturday before the big day was like their Black Friday. The festive season also brought business to the store, but that gets overshadowed. By the early '90s, it was a textbook case of David and Goliath where Switzs became a statistic of another mom and pop that couldn't compete with the chains and malls. In this case, Walmart finally arrived in the Northeast (like we never missed), Shoppingtown had a store, and Carousel Center (now Destiny USA) opened in 1990 (can't recall if they had anything fancy dress in early days). The final nail in the vampires coffin lid was when the store moved to Penn Can Mall in Cicero a few miles away, but closed by summer 1993.  Meanwhile, Oscars whereabouts remain a mystery to this day.  Cablexpress (later CSX) moved into the S Bay Rd store, and have only used some of the property, and the inside is said to resemble little of what my age group know from childhood.  Younger people who work there or those who aren't from Onondaga County may or will not know firsthand the legacy of this small business.  Now CSX will move downtown to the former Sibleys/RKO Keiths (cinema from studio system/Old Hollywood era that closed during the postwar period). I'm sure one would like to bring Switzs back (had less trouble with something else that used to be around here, but that's different). You could even restore the Renaissance inspired façade or build a replica of Oscar and the "Touch of Grey" wannabes (one for you Deadheads!). It would be like rebuilding these local historic figures' homes on the city's east side from Victorian times that were demolished that could have been in the National Trust if the blueprints survive. It can never be the same.  On top of that, Switzs might not make it in todays environment, despite the grassroots movement to support local so this doesn't happen to another neighborhood business because of amazon and other online sales, pop-ups and boring big box. I have trouble finding anything at the name places, and small ones can have something unique, which Switzs did. I was young when it was around, so my own take can be vague and even secondhand, but I know my family have gone there once or twice a year in those days, and perhaps yours as well.

UPDATE: Crouse Health have acquired the building from current owner Bill Pomeroy, who donated the property to the hospital group in memory of his wife Sandra, who was his carer when he was taken ill. Crouse will convert it into a new multi-faceted health facility primarily targeting that part of Onondaga County. It will even have an event center that could host a few things I could come up with (story for another day). Maybe this is better anyway, as this is far more important, and it'd be impossible to recapture all of the magic of a long gone time and make it work in todays economy.

Christmas Tree Shops

Macomb County location in Michigan

 Christmas Tree Shops were a unique kind of discount chain, but not a festive one per se. Like several others, I heard of it in the Capital Region. I found some of my CDs there. People from CNY would take road trips there. Then, they finally came here in a plaza that now has little to go on (that will get its own post another day).  Harmon Face Values spun off with their generic health and beauty products, and had a location in Dutchess County. Christmas Tree Shops were once owned by Bed, Bath and Beyond, but now both have gone bankrupt and have closed their doors because people shop online and the economy is touch and go; same old story. If that wasn't the case, this would be just another run-of-the-mill list of where to open more, since they could have gone to Cayuga, Tompkins and Oneida Counties, but it's now too late for that. Instead, other chains can get past CTS locations, but I can only come up with ideas for the ones that I know, of course. Oh, Christmas Tree Shops, how lovely were thy branches!

Albany (Colonie) - Colonie Center, NY 5 & Wolf Road

North Syracuse - Northern Lights, US 11, former Builders Square

Henrietta - NY 252 (Rochester)

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3

Market 32

Ft Edward location on US 4 in Warren County from Cumberland Farms across the road

Tyler A. McNeil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 Price Chopper have gradually converted their stores to Market 32, which is approaching its tenth year. Someone asked Newschannel 9s Your Stories when they'll all be done. Initially, it was most of their locations in their native Capital Region, working their way towards New England, Pennsylvania, and the Mohawk Valley. It may be too easy to rebrand the lot straightaway, or a right fortune, instead doing them up piecemeal over the course of a decades time. Latham instead have Market Bistro, which I've mentioned earlier, trying to emulate Wegmans (don't get me started!). Inside, the key differences include some of the décor and the carts are brown. 32 refers to 1932, when the chain were founded as Central Markets. They've been Price Chopper for fifty years, yet there's no anniversary just for that; last year being considered the milestone, while new sister chain Tops had their own.

The only current Market 32 I've gone to myself to date is New Hartford (none west of Oneida County just yet), although in their backyard, I've been to Slingerlands, Pine Hills and Delaware Ave. (NY 443 & US 9W) long before the name was coined, the last two in Albany proper. Other than that, it's pretty much the same and will distinguish it from the Price Chopper in Kansas, Iowa and Missouri. Our Price Chopper have been in CNY since the mid-'70s (Groceteria has more details). The name won't be retired fully, just reconfigured. Now if that could open on Syracuses south side since it's far enough from Western Lights and Erie Blvd E since it can be done as you head east. It might not work in Ithaca with Tops across town and Price Chopper never at that end of NY 13, and rural communities might be a challenge if the property is small and there isn't room to expand as well as concerns about traffic and codes. Still, Market 32 is more than a fresh coat of paint and a name change.

On 28 November, Price Chopper/Market 32 announced the acquisition of the five area ShopRite stores that closed ten days earlier, but only Niskayuna and North Greenbush will join the chain in the new year, while the rest overlap with existing locations, so we'll see how they get on.

Lou Malnati's

Gold Coast, Chicago location (can't recall which one I visited since it's a big area)

 Here's a new one. The same relative who posted about Spaghetti Factory a few years back on Facebook now discovered something else Italian, but one that I have tried myself in the past, yet expanded since I went in their backyard on holiday in 2008. It's Lou Malnatis Pizzeria in the Chicago area. He and his dad used to manage Pizzeria Uno, which used to be in CNY themselves until recently, and we just got East of Chicago in Lyncourt. The younger Malnati broke out on his own in 1971, and has become a big name in the Windy City ever since. I remember the bits of tomato, but at least I can say I've gone. I was surprised to learn they were also in Arizona, as well as Milwaukee and (takeaway only) Marion Counties stretching further into the Midwest. While some may call it selling out by going out of state and even abroad, Malnatis next frontier could be the Northeast as you head east along the Great Lakes/I-90/I-80 corridor.  They could possibly open in the Tri-State, even though New York City is proud of their own pizza (just ask Messrs Fieri and Portnoy!). I may just zero in on Upstate (CNY for a start since that's what I know best, of course), while other states on the east coast would follow. Even the West Coast doesn't have it yet, with Maricopa County being the closest to there, so you'd have to go from LAX to Sky Harbour if you don't want to have it come in the post with special packaging I suppose.  Nothing beats having it there. Malnati would've wanted you to come in and enjoy his family's classic recipe, so may his spirit guide us there. Nothing like a Deep Dish.

Syracuse - Destiny USA, former Cantina Loredo

Albany - Wolf Road; former Bed, Bath and Beyond/ShopRite

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall, NY 5 & US 20

Greece - The Mall at Greece Ridge, former TGI Fridays, NY 104

Amherst - former Best Buy, NY 78

Cortland - former flea market, Riverside Mall, NY 13 (too big for small space near road)

Watertown - former Christmas Tree Shops, Salmon Run Mall, NY 3

Syracuse (Fairmount) - former Big Boy/IHOP/Good Buddys Pub, West Genesee St

Ithaca - former Hobby Lobby, NY 13, 34 & 96

Tex's Chicken and Burgers

Colonie location on NY 5 near Albany

 I was looking for a place to get dinner for my annual trip to Albany that was a chain not yet in CNY that could be (and there have been so many over the years), and discovered Tex's Chicken & Burgers (formerly Texas Chicken & Burgers), which is actually from downstate of all places (reminds of the Pace Picante advert!). Didn't eat there, but I got a look at it and it doesn't require too much space, which makes it a bit easier to find locations. Now to get them mosey on down here to these parts!

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza, former Hofmann Hot Haus/Salt City Dogs

Syracuse (north side) - Destiny USA, former Arbys

deWitt - NY 5, Marshalls Homegoods Plaza

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20, Fingerlakes Mall

Cortland - NY 13, Riverside Mall, former Naples Pizza

Ithaca - former Starbucks

Utica - former Popeyes

Rochester - NY 252, former Boston Market

Oneida - NY 5, former KFC

Clay - NY 31, former Subway

Jimmy Johns: 40 Years On

Broward County location

 Jimmy Johns celebrate their fortieth anniversary this year. They were just sold to the owners of their biggest competitor Subway. Both have closed locations and are all but franchised, they couldn't be more different. While it's too easy to go to Subway (which now even outnumber McDonalds), Jimmy Johns are fewer by the day. All four Syracuse locations are closed, while two in the region fifty miles away each in a small town are alive and well, but it's likely the classic case of the franchise owner and corporate falling out, or maybe slow sales. I go to the Utica one when I'm that way and have time, while I found the Ithaca store at short notice, which saved time in an area I don't know as well. Back near home, someone else could take over the local rights and have another go since no one else touched most of them since then, even though I suggested other chains in previous posts like I always do. They can also open in other vacancies around the area like anyone else. It may be too soon to come back.

Syracuse (SU Hill) - Marshall St (was various businesses over the decades)*

Syracuse (downtown) - W Fayette St (was Luna indie restaurant for a period)*

Cicero - E Circle Dr*

E Syracuse - NY 298 & Weighlock Dr (previously Starbucks)*

Syracuse (north side) - Destiny USA, former Arbys

Cortland - Main St, former Deli Downtown

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20, Fingerlakes Mall

Watertown - NY 3, Salmon Run Mall

Oswego - NY 104 & 3rd Ave, former Subway (near SUNY)

Chittenango - NY 5 & 13, former Byrne Dairy

Oneida - NY 5, former KFC?

Clay - NY 31, former Subway

*former location

The Fresh Market

Augusta, GA location

 The Fresh Market are based in Greensboro, NC, yet have locations across the eastern seaboard and once were in the California Capital Region, and are in the NY one in Latham (I thought it was a few miles away in Colonie, but it was their competitor). Just when you think there couldn't be another one of these coming, they may open near you (they could even be considered a premium grocer like the "other place" [which I say so not to let the side down]).

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A, former Macys (while the New Hartford Shopping Center around the corner still has the former Herb Phillipsons available, Commercial Drive is far more suited for this type of chain in this area)

deWitt - Marshalls Homegoods Plaza, NY 5, former Bed, Bath & Beyond

North Syracuse - Northern Lights Plaza, US 11, former Builders Square/Christmas Tree Shops

Kingston - Hudson Valley Mall, US 9W; former Macys, Sears, or JCPenney (I haven't been to Ulster County since 2000, so I had to use Google Maps and Wikipedia to see what's there now)

Wappingers Falls - US 9, former Bed, Bath & Beyond

Amherst - NY 78, former Best Buy

Henrietta - NY 252, Market Square Plaza; former Bed, Bath & Beyond

Victor - NY 96; former Bed, Bath & Beyond (seems to be a cookie cutter vacancy that can get its own post later because of their bankruptcy and closure or brick and mortar)

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96, former Tops

Spirit of Halloween

Farmington, CT store (former Sports Authority location)

 Usually, pop-up chain Spirit of Halloween have temporary leases on vacant properties by now. There are usually an abundance of them in any given area, certainly in CNY. Several years ago, I wrote about their competitor, Halloween Express.  One location they had in recent years, the former P&C/Bed, Bath and Beyond in Fairmount Fair, is set to become an Old Navy, so that means for west of Syracuse, it's either Westvale or Camillus.  Also must make sure it's not too close to sister store Party City if it can be helped. I went to look for the latest here, but the closest so far are downstate, so I'm surprised at them for not being Upstate already. The internet can't replace going in person for everything. UPDATE: The site just didn't recognise my location properly as it did from the desktop, so all is not lost.

Fairmount - Fairmount Fair, former P&C/BB&B (until Old Navy open later in 2024) (confirmed)

Liverpool - Old Liverpool Rd & Electronics Pkwy, Liverpool Plaza, former Carls/Fays/Thrifty Shopper (confirmed)

Mattydale - US 11, former kmart (Party City are across road at Northern Lights) (confirmed)

deWitt - NY 5, former Pet Supplies Plus (confirmed, where they've been the past few years)

Liverpool (Clay/Bayberry) - NY 31, COR Plaza; former Bed, Bath and Beyond

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20, Fingerlakes Mall, former Great Outdoors (confirmed)

Cortland - NY 13, former kmart

Ithaca (Lansing) - NY 13, next to Best Buy (confirmed)

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A, Sangertown Square, next to Spencer Gifts (confirmed)

Colonie - Wolf Road, former Barnes & Noble

Amherst - NY 78, former Best Buy

Giant Markets of Binghamton: 90 Years On

Original Endwell store in 1964 (counts as free image)

 My visit to Weis the other day got me wanting to write about Giant Markets, which dominated Broome County for over 75 years time. They were ahead of their time when they opened during the Depression,  being a one-stop shop that was self-serve with baskets and later carts, before even downstate. They managed to compete with A&P, ShopRite, P&C, Wegmans, Price Chopper, Walmart and Grand Union. They managed to buy properties on Upper Front Street to keep some of these other chains out, while others left that part of town. It'd be too much work to find which generic brands they carried in those days as it's not always easy to tell with some indies, although Giant had their own with most common items, as well as some other private labels, and even their own warehouse.  With the generic nature of the word "Giant", this is not the same Giant that is in Pennsylvania, Delmarva, the Virginias (including as Martins for the same reason; being Pittsburghs Giant Eagle, but that's different, as both of Ahold Delhaizes Giants themselves were separate animals at first). Even in Endicott back in the Southern Tier in the late '30s, there was once an unrelated Giant Market to boot, so it could also happen within the region at a time news moved slowly).  That's a Giant headache! (I wrote about naming conflicts some years earlier as there was simply no way of knowing if a name was taken before the Internet if it wasn't a national company as we don't have a Companies House in this country per se).

Weis bought Giant in the Southern Tier in 2009.  They initially kept the name like they did with Albany Public Markets up I-88, but maybe because of the confusion I just described, and since Weis are rivals with the other three Giants as you head down the Appalachian Trail, the Axels' Giant name was retired, yet the company are still a legal entity belonging to the family owning properties, some with their old stores.  Several have a unique design familiar to people in Spiedie Country if built and/or remodelled in the late '80s up until the '00s. There are a Facebook group as one would expect like with other chains.

Here is a list of the locations they had in 1939 and 2004 (Archive.org can take too long, even on a good connection). Much older ones, like with other stores, are sometimes too ambiguous in nature to track down, even if I knew the area or had time to scour the history.  Any that aren't Weis today will be noted (especially if they're too small, even though Weis' own flagship store in Northumberland County is).

Binghamton

307 Conklin Ave (NY 7)

50-60 Pennsylvania Ave (near hospital)

93 Pennsylvania Ave (closed)

56-58 Main St (now Family Dollar)

160 Robinson St (the one I visited; should have taken a photo so I could edit if I had planned this, but no need)

278 Robinson St (now a doctors office)

95 Chenango St (downtown between bus depot and Little Venice Italian restaurant; long gone)

279-309 Main St (NY 17C) (now vacant, but City Church are in the process of buying it)

184-186 Court St (first store; originally an auto garage; later local office for state tax and finance; now Lourdes Mental Health Youth Services)

Vestal

100 Rano Blvd & Vestal Pkwy W (NY 434) (previously Shop Rite)

925 Main St (off NY 26)

Nimmonsburg

1290 Upper Front St (US 11), Northgate Ames Plaza (Ames closed in 2002 [see earlier article])

1240 Upper Front St (US 11) - previously Grand Union, now vacant

Johnson City (Westover) - 560 Harry L. Dr., Oakdale Center (now ALDI)

Endicott 

West Corners - Giant (now Day Hollow) Shopping Plaza (NY 26 & CR 60) (previous two stores demolished and replaced by current Weis)

143 Washington Ave (now Allstate)

Endwell

800 Hooper Rd. (CR 33), Park Manor Plaza (previously Grand Union [until 1995] and Great American in the town of Union!  All's well that's Endwell!)

860 Hooper Rd -  opened in 1964; closed in 2002 (pictured)

Weis Markets

Fredericksburg, VA location (ex-Bloom/Food Lion [due to Ahold Delhaize merger])

 Weis Markets are a chain from Susquehanna Valley. I first heard of them when I was in the mid-Hudson Valley, but they left just after I did! To boot, they had acquired Albany Public Markets up the river years before and perhaps I went to one of those (that would be a post all its own), although some of those became Grand Union (see earlier article). They entered the Southern Tier when they bought trailblazing local indie chain Giant in Broome County (not the same one owned by Ahold [Delhaize]), bringing them back to New York. I was in Binghamton on a bus layover between Ithaca and getting back to Syracuse.  Knowing ahead of time I could squeeze it in (although I had to use a cab and Uber because I wouldn't have enough time for the local bus in an area I don't know that well), I decided to head across town after two long decades.  It was a "Weis" choice.  While they may not go north of 607, they could expand around the area code and Pennsylvania (I scrambled on Bing and Google, but some spots I found at first wound up being too close to existing locations and competitors, which explains why they're vacant, but I can only go so far with areas that are I may never be 100 miles of again, and other chains would have to fill that vacuum). Hope they do try to get at least one or more of these to materialise so there are at least 200 locations total.

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96, former Tops

Cortland - US 11 & NY 41 - former Dollar Bazaar

Sidney - CR 23, former BK5 Great American

Horseheads - S Main St, former Ames (although it's 5 miles from existing store in Elmira, the only non-former Giant Weis in the state currently)

Greene - S Chenango St, former Ardees Great American

Somerset, PA - 313 Plank Rd & PA 31, former Bi-Lo (the former sister chain to P&C, not Tops [see earlier article on BI-LO])

Johnstown, PA - 2449 Bedford St, former Ideal Market, downtown

Target

Meriden, CT store (thanks to Mike Mozart)

 Target may sound too easy, but even in CNY and beyond, they have some spots left to fill.  Like most things, they were late to the party around here.  With some of them, I had to test the waters in Albany first.  I admit it was not much to write home about, but it was where a latter-day Woolworths once stood.  Once they made it up the Thruway, two of them near me opened where Caldor once was (see earlier article). Their work is far from over. Now if only we could have Super Target in the Northeast.

Cortland - NY 13, former kmart, Cortland Crossing, Cortlandville

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20, former Sears, Fingerlakes Mall (can move businesses down hall and gut)

Oswego - NY 104 (would have to be built from scratch as small towns can be tight on property)

Fulton - NY 481 & CR 57, former kmart, River Glen Plaza

Massena - NY 37, former Bon-Ton, St Lawrence Centre (North Country)

Sears Oil Co.

Sears Oil service station in Rome in 1983

 I remember there being what was a regional chain of gas and service stations called Sears Oil Co. from Rome (unrelated to Sears department stores and their own auto shops).  They were gone by the late '90s.  I needed more than a handful before I could do this one (I just know Onondaga County more).

Rome - N James St

Rome - Bruce St

Rome - NY 46 (HQ/refinery)

Utica - NY 5S

Herkimer - NY 5

New Hartford - then-NY 5/8/12 (pre-arterial)

Oneida - NY 46 & 365A

Rome (downtown) - W Liberty & N George Sts; a replica museum remains

Syracuse (Eastwood/E Syracuse) - NY 290 & 635; now Wendys

Syracuse (downtown) - NY 5 & US 11; later Hess and Speedway, now Mobil

Fayetteville (village) - NY 5; same as downtown Syracuse (not to be confused with corner of N Burdick St Speedway or Lyndon Corners Mobil at NY 92 [one-time Express Marts])

Fairmount - W Genesee St; now Delta Sonic

Loblaws in CNY

 

Composite of Eastwood store made from Peters IGA

As the last article pointed out, people of a certain age in and from this area may not realise something is still there or not, whether or not they moved house, travel, or stay in the know.  Loblaws looms large.  While it's still a large chain in Canada to this day, it had competition on this side of the seaway until it left US soil by 1977.  There was a low-res scan on Facebook of an advert from the paper, but one can't make out the locations, yet Groceteria has the immediate Syracuse area, as well as other major cities in the US that had Loblaws (including border cities Buffalo and Detroit).  I've only been to No Frills, Wholesale Club and Shoppers Drug Mart on the boys' turf, so one of these days, I'll have to get to a Loblaws proper.  All of this was before my time, which is why it's pensioners who know it domestically and deem it defunct if they haven't gotten the memo (even ex-pat Paul Anka would know it's alive and well today).  Here's a list of CNY locations (can't do this for all of them):

US 11 & Bear Rd (North Syracuse)

NY 173 (South Side, later Price Chopper)

NY 5 (x and Fayetteville)

NY 290 (East Syracuse and Eastwood, now Family Dollar)

Genesee St (Auburn)

South Ave (South Side, now Price Rite)

Bleecker St (Utica, also now Price Rite)

Western Lights (later old Price Chopper?)

NY 48 (van Buren, later IGA, now flagship Seneca Knolls Big M)

NY 46 & 365A? (Oneida)

NY 104 (Oswego)

W Genesee St (Fairmount)

Transit St (Lockport)

Butternut & Park Sts (north side)

US 11 (Mattydale and Pitcher Hill)

N Main St (Cortland)

NY 290 & Grant Blvd - Now Walgreens/former P&C-A&P-Rite Aid-True Value (Eastwood)

Westcott St (East Side)

615 E Adams St (East Side, demolished for I-81)

Formerly in CNY, who's still around?

ACME alive and well in Fairfield County

 There are a number of chains and indies alike that resonate with the over-60s in and/or from CNY (primarily those who grew up in Onondaga County).  While not everyone knows half of what I do, sometimes a name can bring you right back to a simpler time.  It's easy to assume that many of them outright belong to the ages now and have for decades, but that's not always the case.  It's common for people from older or pretty much all generations to move away from their hometown (human migration has occurred since before antiquity), and we all don't catch up or travel that far.  Here's a rundown of what I can gather:

Loblaws - left area if not US by mid-'70s, now part of conglomerate in Canada

Acme - left here by then as well; still in Tri-State (pictured), NJ, PA, Delmarva, OH

Optivision - formerly in Western Lights; still in Cortland and Ithaca

A&P - left after the '60s; gone by 2011

IGA - see earlier article

Grand Union - several articles on blog

Foodland - briefly in CNY; still in South and Pittsburgh area

P&C - see earlier articles; now in Cortland and Ithaca

Rexall - now sold at Dollar General in US and are still a chain in Canada

JCPenney - some stores remain around the country

Volunteers of America - once in Auburn

St Vincent de Paul - once on Syracuses North Side and Cicero

Pathmark  - briefly in deWitt; remained in Tri-State, sold to A&P and closed in 2011

Texaco - left by '70s

BP - left by mid-'90s

Arco - left by late-'80s

Amoco - left by late-'80s

Church's Chicken - left by '80s

Getty - left by 2000s after Lukoil merger; still active in Capital Region, Hudson Valley and Tri-State

Carrolls - converted to Burger King franchisee by '70s; chain name spun off in Finland by Hesburger; US franchise sold to corporate in 2024

Wegmans in Natick Mall

Wegmans in Natick Mall

 Wegmans have a presence in the Boston area, despite the huge gap on the I-90 corridor until you get all the way west to my backyard (the deWitt/Fayetteville store is pretty much the main one in CNY) and down I-95 before reaching the Tri-State (we've discussed that other state capital already).  In the suburb Natick, Wegmans have been at Natick Mall in the old JCPenney of all places.  It's rare this day and age for Wegmans to close a store, but this one hasn't made much money surprisingly after just five years, and COVID may have exacerbated that like it has so much the past few years.  Having them in a mall like this just didn't catch on, and they're not as used to Wegmans as we are.  Other stores will stay put.  It's just what to do with it now.  Just another department store is a step backwards at this stage.

Price Chopper/Market 32 have a few stores by those shores, and the closest one is far enough that this could become another Market Bistro, which is their Latham store north of Albany, made to be "Wegman-esque", if you like, and the only one in the chain not to use either of the usual names.  Hannaford could also take over since they wouldn't overlap like sister chain Stop & Shop, which is already around the corner.  Shaws are a few miles away in Ashland, and owners Albertsons are in the middle of a merger with Kroger (sister chain Star Market have a location by the Pru in the city that I went to).  Market Basket also have a location in Ashland, so Natick would be too close.  A two-level Walmart like in Albany is out since a regular one is a couple miles away in Framingham, and that's too easy anyhow.  So Y not Big Y?  Wouldn't conflict with existing stores in what's a big area anyway. Gone by one in Hartford County in 1994.  Even enough room for another Costco (almost went in Dedham on my first Boston trip in 2010).  Whole Foods were at that mall once already themselves.

Wegmans are a hard act to follow.  It's one thing to replace an older, smaller store with a competitor that is more adaptable to an urban community.  It's another for a unique anchor store like this, but maybe they could promote it better, and most of these chains have a longer track record in the region, despite Wegmans' high standards.  Back in Upstate NY, I can't imagine Wegmans opening in Destiny USA (they'll stick to department stores) or even the former Lord & Taylor in Eastview Mall in Victor outside their home base of Rochester (even though one isn't right in that part of Ontario County, so you'd have to go to Fairport, and the mall has their own fish to fry, which is a story for another day).  Whole Foods have a store in Colonie Center near Albany which works, but is not overbearing.  If Wegmans couldn't find anywhere to start from scratch in the Capital Region, empty anchors in Crossgates or other malls would be a last resort.  Even a small town wouldn't condense everything that way.  Maybe the concept was just too much as one wouldn't do both things in a single trip usually.

Dry Goods

 

Original von Maur (can be used due to its vast age)

Dry Goods, a spinoff of von Maur, has just opened in Ontario County down the hall from the sister chain at Eastview Mall and will open soon 70 miles away in Erie County.  They're mainly in the Midwest, South and Plains right now. This is another "hallway" chain (or high street in some areas), if you like, and another one for the ladies.  While we've done the parent store already, which was easier being an anchor, now I have to think where this one can go.  The term Dry Goods and von Maurs own roots date back to Victorian times. Corridor vacancies are vague compared to larger properties, so I'll just list the malls or areas instead, since there'd be too many different spots depending on the place.

Lansing - The Shops at Ithaca Mall, NY 34 & 13

Syracuse - Destiny USA (confirmed)

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A

Johnson City - Oakdale Mall, NY 201

Albany - Colonie Center, NY 5 & Wolf Rd

Guilderland - Crossgates Mall, US 20

Kingston - Hudson Valley Mall, US 9W

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9

Byrne Dairy 90th Anniversary

Former Liverpool store in 2007

 I've known Byrne Dairy my whole life and I'm a regular to this day. All but a few of their current locations have gas now. There are several in my lifetime that I know that are no more.  Ones that are long gone are too hard to find.  Older ones replaced by new stores like East Syracuse don't count.

Syracuse (Eastwood) 1 - NY 290 & 598; now Big Mikes

Syracuse (Eastwood) 2 - NY 290 & Forest Hill Dr; later Subway, now Luv Handlz

Syracuse (north side) - Grant Blvd & Butternut Dr; now Blueberry Market

Fayetteville/deWitt - NY 5 & 92; now a law firm

Liverpool - CR 57; now Tiny Bubbles Laundromat (pictured)

Geneva - NY 14; now indie gas station?

Chittenango - NY 5 & 13; now vacant

Syracuse (west side) - NY 5; now vacant

New York Mills - Henderson St; TBD

Elmira - Walnut St; TBD

Hornell (1) - Seneca & State Sts; previously Elmhurst Dairy, TBD

Hornell (2) - Center St; TBD

Oswego - NY 104; TBD

Newark - W Union St; TBD

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96; TBD

Dollar General in Chittenango

The original Dollar General store on Tuscarora Road

 Dollar General has only been in CNY since the mid-to-late '90s, but they have been growing more by the day. In Chittenango, it appears they will be moving across town (even in a small town known for the creator of a classic franchise, that's possible) from its longtime home on Tuscarora Road in the village to NY 5 on the outskirts of town across from Tops and YBR Casino.  It should open in May or June.  Both the old and new stores are original standalones as opposed to taking over someone elses property.  This would make it less convenient for the few who may not have a vehicle (even in chiefly rural Madison County, as down NY 5 & 13 in Canastota, that has come up as they're in the middle of trying to get a pharmacy to replace Walgreens, or with Grand Union moving up NY 12B in Hamilton decades ago.  There are few buses around).  However, the county has always been a tight squeeze, and this building won't go cold too long.  Dollar Generals closest competitors, sister chains Dollar Tree or Family Dollar would be perfect, although they'd likely go through the estate agents first.  Even a bargain bin store, which I brought up just earlier, could work since an early version had been towards the west some years back, but didn't catch on then.  Salvation Army Family Store is already across the street, so the charity shop box is ticked.  Wouldn't rule out a phone store if it comes down to that, but that doesn't need as much space.  One last ditch effort would be a small grocery store.  The building still has legs, so I'm sure someone will get it in the next several months, even though others in bigger areas can sit empty for years, even in Chittenango (the former Pizza Hut only just became an indie recently).

Bargain bin stores

 

Black Friday Bins at Shop City

There's a new breed of retail that has emerged in the past couple years that's on the rise.  It's seems to be called a bargain bin store, carrying surplus, returned and clearance items from various retailers such as Walmart, Target, Kohls, amazon.com and others.  It only just came out of nowhere to CNY in the former Chappells/Thrifty Shopper Outlet/AJ Wright/CW Price/Fallas in Shop City (pictured) and took off straightaway.  I only just heard of the idea from the Southern Tier with Extreme Bargain Bins, located in a former kmart in Binghamton.  There are some downstate and around the country.  Had to dig like you would at these places to see what there is.  If you ask me, you may find a few things buried along with random junk!  Unlike the charity shop, everything is new or returned.  There are only a handful of others Upstate now.  An early precedent around here, I suppose, would be the short-lived concept Name Brand Deals on NY 5 from Oneida Indian Nation, which had been in Chittenango (former Ames/current YBR Casino) and Westvale (former Genesee Theatre and Pep Boys/current O'Reillys Auto Parts).  Makes the chaz look like Marks and Spencers. Not sure if I'll go again right now. There's a smaller, competing store across town from Shop City in Fairmount up West Genesee Street from Westvale, but it's even less exciting.

I found one chain called Retail Rebel, but they're only in Kansas City and Iowa right now. The few small chains are mainly in the South and Midwest at this time, with the rest being indies.  Montgomery County in the Capital Region has two, and that's not a big area, so maybe more could have their own.  It's still early days and the Wild West, if you like, so maybe just one more in Onondaga County, but have a pick of the litter, which is how it works when looking for a property when the market's good.

Canastota - former Family Dollar, NY 5 & CR 25

Nedrow - former Grants/kmart/flea market. Green Hills Plaza; US 11 & Southland Dr.

Cortland - former Fays or flea market, Riverside Plaza; NY 13

Central Square - US 11

Amherst - former Best Buy, NY 78

Utica - former Fays/Eckerd/Rite Aid, Genesee St

Herkimer - former kmart

Ithaca - former Hobby Lobby; NY 13, 34 & 96

Henrietta - former Savers; NY 252

Colonie - former Barnes & Noble, Wolf Rd

Schenectady - former ALDI/Grand Union; NY 5 & 7

Geneva - former Tops/RealEats/CherriBundi, NY 14A

Albany - former Fays/Save-a-Lot; US 9W & NY 443

Watertown - former Fays/Eckerd/Rite Aid; NY 3

Chittenango - former Dollar General, Tuscarora Rd (as of May 2023)

New Hartford - former Herb Phillipsons, New Hartford Shopping Center

Liverpool - former Carls/Fays/Thrifty Shopper; Old Liverpool Rd & Electronics Pkwy

Chappells

Shoppingtown store in deWitt (later the Bon Ton)

 Chappells were a department store chain from my area dating back to the late Victorian age that were around for nearly a century, but were bought out by the Bon Ton in 1995, only for that to go under several years ago (I could cover them later on).  I'll do some from memory before going to Wikipedia, which is too easy, even though it's rare for them to have a place only known to a smaller region like this as opposed to, say, Belk or Marks and Spencers for that matter.  Many included New Domain, a store within a store.

Syracuse (Lyncourt) - Shop City Mall (was partially enclosed in those days); closed 1992, later AJ Wright, CW Price, Fallas, and Thrifty Shopper Outlet.  Now Black Friday Deals.

Syracuse (Westvale) - Western Lights Plaza; now Price Chopper (moved over from other side of plaza)

North Syracuse - Northern Lights Plaza, US 11; former flagship, has been various anchors such as Burlington and Media Play.  Closed by mid-to-late '80s.  Now vacant.

deWitt - Shoppingtown Mall, NY 5; later the Bon-Ton, now vacant and set for demolition to be replaced by District East, pending court action.

Camillus - Camillus Mall; later the Bon-Ton (was last surviving building of old mall when it became Camillus Commons), partially St Josephs Health, otherwise vacant.

Clay - Great Northern Mall, NY 31 & 481; later the Bon-Ton, now vacant

Cicero - Penn-Can Mall; closed after 1988, now Roger Burdicks Drivers Village

Syracuse (downtown) - original store; now Salina Place

Liverpool - Seneca Mall, CR 57; now U-Haul

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3; later the Bon-Ton, now vacant

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall, NY 5 & US 20; moved to Camillus Mall in November 1993; now Bass Pro Shops or vacant (to the right of former kmart/Rex) 

Syracuse (north side) - Carousel Center (now Destiny USA); later the Bon-Ton, now vacant

KFC in CNY

Hartford County location

 Kentucky Fried Chicken sounds too easy to do, but it turns out, there are a few spots where KFC used to be in CNY, including at one that was open when Col Sanders was still alive!  Here's where his secret herbs and spices used to be trusted:

Syracuse (north side) - Park & Butternut Sts; now vacant

North Syracuse - US 11; now Popeyes (the Colonel would spin in his grave!)

Oneida - NY 5; now vacant

Fulton - NY 481; now vacant

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96; old location TBD, reopened on NY 13

Syracuse (Eastwood) - NY 290; later Swanson Dry Cleaners and Chases Cigar Store, now Eastwood Discount Liquor (what led to this post)

deWitt - NY 5; different location than current store (I only vaguely remember), TBD

Eckerd in CNY et al

Eastwood store in 2008 that I took myself

 I may have heard of Eckerd in passing prior to 1996, then JCPenney bought them and Eckerd absorbed their Thrift Drug division. Then, Eckerd would acquire Fays Drugs.  By 1997, the latter would be no more.  Many older locations were kept, while others were sold after new standalone stores were built from scratch, including some of the first drive-thru pharmacies in the northeast.  Canadian chain Pharmacie Jean Coutu, which previously owned Brooks and sold NYS locations to Revco (which CVS bought in 1997) would later take over.  Rite Aid bought out the chain in 2010, except for Florida locations, which went to CVS/pharmacy instead. Eckerd is now a corporate subsidiary of Rite Aid, even though many of these locations were sold to Walgreens in 2019.  A number of them closed then that overlapped or later on.  Back in CNY, here's a select list of what I can memorise:

Syracuse (Eastwood) - NY 290; former Loblaws/Peters IGA/Foodland/Carls/Fays, now Family Dollar (pictured)

Syracuse (Lyncourt) - Shop City; former Fays; moved to former Ames after ceiling collapse; old space now Valu

Syracuse (south side) - NY 175 & 80; now vacant

Syracuse (north side) - Lodi & Butternut Sts; now Dollar General (Rite Aid already across street)

Syracuse (west side) - Avery Ave & Onondaga Blvd; now Walgreens

Fairmount - former flagship Fays; now Dollar Tree

Camillus - Camillus Plaza; former Carls and Fays; now Rite Aid

Auburn - NY 5; now Rite Aid

Norwich - NY 12; closed after merger due to existing Rite Aid across street, TBD

New Hartford - NY 5A; now Rite Aid

Rome - NY 46 & 49; now Rite Aid

North Syracuse - US 11 & W Taft Rd, Sweetheart Corners; now Rite Aid

Mattydale - US 11; now Walgreens

Liverpool (Galeville) - Old Liverpool Rd; now Family Dollar

Liverpool (Bayberry) - CR 57; now Walgreens

Norwich - NY 12; now Walgreens

Baldwinsville (village) - NY 31 & 370; now Dollar Tree (confirmed by the chain themselves)

Cortland - US 11 & NY 41; now Walgreens

Cortlandville - NY 281 & 222; now Rite Aid

Nedrow - US 11; now Walgreens (one of the first standalones in CNY built to replace Fays)

Canastota - NY 5 & 13; now Dollar General

Cicero (US 11); now Walgreens

Cicero (NY 31 & Thompson Rd); now Rite Aid

East Syracuse - formerly Church Leader Drug/Fays; now Walgreens

Manlius - NY 92 - formerly Harveys Pharmacy; now Unplugged Gaming

Fayetteville - formerly Fays; now Walgreens

Syracuse (east side) - formerly Drumlins Pharmacy/Fays; now Walgreens

Hannibal - NY 3; formerly Fays, now Walgreens

Watertown - NY 3; formerly Fays/liquor store; now vacant

Oswego (city) - NY 104; formerly Fays; now demolished

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57, Kimbrook Plaza; formerly Fays, now Planet Fitness

Pittsford - NY 31; later Rite Aid, now closed

Oswego - NY 104; now Walgreens

Fulton - NY 481; formerly Fays; now Taco Bell

Scotchtown - NY 211; now Rite Aid (actually downstate, but I was researching Fays, trying to find out about the Middletown store)

Poughkeepsie - US 9 (North Rd); now Rite Aid (I used to live up the road, and I remember it opening)

Carl's Drugs (1939-91)

Collage of James St store in 1990 and as Rite Aid in 2019

 After posting on Fay's, thought I'd cover Carl's Drugs.  The founders of both were related, which led to one buying the other in 1991.  Even though Carl's Drugs (not to be confused with Carl's Furniture City of New Hartford, which recently opened in Syracuse) were from the Mohawk Valley, I only remember stores in Onondaga County, but I can look up their native Oneida County since it was from a small town anyway.  I even came across photos developed at the original Eastwood store at my late grandmothers house (my grandparents moved to the suburbs by the time I was born, and I was cleaning out that house these past couple months).  It is also unrelated to a Carl's Drug Store in the PA Capital Region or any other Carls from outside New York State for that matter.  Here's what I can gather from younger days from my end.

Syracuse (Eastwood) - NY 290 (1), Eastwood Plaza; later Sacred Melody, now Dollar General

Syracuse (Eastwood) - NY 290 (2); previously Loblaws, Peters IGA and Foodland, later Fays, Eckerd and Rite Aid; now Family Dollar (pictured)

Syracuse (west side) - S Geddes St; later Fays, Eckerd and Save-a-Lot; now Wilson Dental

Syracuse (south side) - NY 175 & 80; later Fays, now Dollar Tree

Liverpool - Electronics Pkwy & Old Liverpool Rd; later Fays and Thrifty Shopper, now vacant

Fayetteville - NY 5, Fayetteville Mall; later Fays, demolished by 2000s, replaced by P&C (now Tops) and Target in Towne Center

Camillus - Camillus Plaza; later Fays and Eckerd, now Rite Aid (only Syracuse area one still operating as a pharmacy today)

Baldwinsville - NY 31 & 370; later Fays and Eckerd, now Dollar Tree (confirmed by chain as former Eckerd, but now has original standalone in place of old building)

Rome - NY 46, Black River Shopping Center (flagship?)

Rome - NY 26 (Turin Rd)

Rome - NY 46 & 49 (Erie Blvd W), Freedom Plaza or current Rite Aid?

Oneonta - NY 7, Oneonta Plaza

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown; demolished by 1974 when converted to enclosed mall (which itself is about to meet the same fate pending legal issues)

Fay's Drugs: 65 Years On

Composite of Eastwood (1991-97) store (no real photo)

 Fay's Drugs were a chain based right in CNY.  They never even had a 40th Anniversary.  It started in Fairmount in 1958 and grew from there.  They bought the founders relatives' rival chain Carls Drugs in 1991.  In 1996 JCPenneys Thrift Drug bought Eckerd, then Fays, and as mergers and acquisitions can take up to a year or so to materialise, Fays were no more by the fall of 1997.  Here's a list of stores mainly in their home territory and what they are now (it will never be a complete list 'cos it's too much).

Syracuse (Eastwood) - NY 290; originally Loblaws, Peters IGA and Foodland, then Carls, was Fays from 1991-97, Eckerd from 1997-2010, Rite Aid from 2010-19, vacant from 2019-22 and is now Family Dollar (pictured)

Syracuse (Lyncourt) - Shop City; Eckerd moved to part of former Ames after ceiling collapse, old store now Valu Home Center

Cazenovia - US 20; now Walgreens

Syracuse (north side) - Lodi & Butternut Sts; now Dollar Tree

Syracuse (east side) - Nottingham Rd & E Colvin St, Skytop Plaza; originally Drumlins Pharmacy; now Walgreens

Hannibal - NY 3; now Walgreens

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown; now closed and set for demolition pending court approval for District East, may have been CVS/pharmacy prior to '80s (did have Walgreens and Carls before that)

Fayetteville (Wegmans Plaza) - NY 5 & 92 - demolished in 1994 for current Wegmans

Fayetteville (Mall) - NY 5; previously Carls; demolished by late '90s for Towne Center

Fayetteville - N Burdick St; now Walgreens

East Syracuse - originally Church Leader Drug; now Walgreens

Syracuse (south side) - NY 175 & 80; now Dollar Tree

Syracuse (west side) - S Geddes St; later Save-a-Lot, now Wilson Dental

Poughkeepsie - US 9, Poughkeepsie Plaza; TBD (was on the way out when I moved in up the road)

Fairmount - former flagship/original store; now Dollar Tree

Camillus - Camillus Plaza; now Rite Aid

Gloversville - N Main St; now Dollar General

Elmira - TBD

Cohoes - NY 470?, TBD

Albany (Delaware Area) - NY 443 & US 9W; later Save-a-Lot, now vacant

Albany (Uptown) - NY 5, Westgate Shopping Centre; now Rite Aid

Utica - Genesee St; later Rite Aid, now vacant

Pittsford - NY 31; later Walgreens, now vacant

Cortland - NY 13, Riverside Mall; now vacant

Waterloo - US 20 & NY 5; now AutoZone?

Cortland - NY 222; later Dollar Foods, now vacant

North Syracuse - Pyramid Mall, E Taft Rd; TBD/DMV?

Baldwinsville - Tri-County Mall; replaced by original Eckerd in 1997, now Rite Aid

Auburn - Seminary St, TBD

Greece - NY 18, Parkway Commons Plaza; now Bingo World?

Painted Post - NY 17C

Horseheads - NY 14

Athens, PA

Amsterdam - NY 5 & 67

Ilion - NY 5

Greenville, SC (even opened that far south)

Sayre - TBD

Nedrow - US 11, Green Hills Plaza; now Planet Fitness

Saugerties/Vails Gate - NY 32 & 94, Simmons Plaza; later Eckerd and Rite Aid, now Walgreens 

North Syracuse - US 11 & W Taft Rd, Sweetheart Corners; previously CVS, now Rite Aid

New Paltz - NY 299; now Walgreens

Middletown - NY 211; TBD (closed when Eckerd opened in Scotchtown)

Middletown - NY 17M; now Market Fresh

Wilkes-Barre - S Main St; later Eckerd, now closed

Luzerne - TBD

Gates - Westgate Plaza

Scranton - Luzerne St; later Eckerd, now Rite Aid

Clarks Summit - TBD

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96

Cobleskill - Main St; TBD

Edwardsville - TBD

Fairport - NY 31F

Mattydale - US 11; later Dollar Tree, now vacant

Cicero - US 11, Marketplace Mall; demolished by 2000s (now various businesses)

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57, Kimbrook Plaza; later Rite Aid, now Planet Fitness

Baldwinsville (village) - NY 31 & 370; now Dollar Tree (new store built; confirmed by chain as former Eckerd)

Manlius - NY 173, TBD

Canastota - NY 5 & 13; now Dollar General

Oneida - NY 5 (not sure, but it is a small town)

Syracuse (Westvale) - NY 5; now Family Dollar

Syracuse (Onondaga Blvd) - now Goodwill

Oswego - NY 104; now demolished

Fulton - NY 481; now Taco Bell (old store demolished and restaurant built on site, of course)

Watertown - NY 3, Stateway Plaza (also had a liquor store); now vacant

Liverpool (Galeville) - Old Liverpool Rd & Electronics Pkwy; later Thrifty Shopper, now vacant (likely more of a flagship in later years as headquarters were up the road on Henry Clay Blvd, which is now the regional office for Rite Aid)

Liverpool (Bayberry) - CR 57; Seneca Mall; later Eckerd, now vacant

North Syracuse (Sugarwood Corners) - Buckley & Bear Rds, Sugarwood Center; now various businesses