UFCW Local One

The now-closed Grand Union in Freedom Plaza in Rome

FotoPhest, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (my username there)

    Business closings and labor disputes continue to make the news in this uncertain economy. I've covered the new decline of Grand Union, and now I can count the number of stores on just one hand. ShopRites second exit from the Capital Region a few years back led to Market 32 buying four out of five of those stores. The bigger challenge is finding replacements for Grand Union in other parts of the state since they already left the immediate Albany area a generation ago, with rural locations going to Tops, and a few switching back after the merger with Price Chopper. What's more elusive is getting a chain or two that are affiliated with UFCW. For much of Upstate, UFCW Local One, based in Oriskany out in the Mohawk Valley, are the regional bureau. ShopRite, Tops, Stop & Shop, indie Chanatrys in Utica, P&C (when I was there and with the two left now) and Grand Union (the name refers to the country) are union shops. Some of them have past and present sister chains that are not union, like Price Chopper/ Market 32. To think the Capital District of all places no longer has one that is. Trader Joes employees started their own, but it's been more uphill for them. If Grand Union in Rutland, VT were next to leave, Shaws could get it since it's a smaller state, as I pointed out earlier. Shaws don't operate west of New England, however, but maybe they could expand, and it could be a future post since Albertsons were never in New York themselves, yet were part of Supervalu, which used to own Save-a-Lot and had a store in Voorheesville in rural Albany County in the '80s.

    In some small towns, it may be easier for a non-union chain like ALDI or Weis to take over the vacancy. It's hard enough to get anyone to do so, since they can sit empty for even decades. UFCW members should be able to have their benefits protected since not everyone can move when they want to stay in their field and they get their cards (I prefer that term to pink slip).

 

Rural King

The Bushranger, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 I've heard of Rural King on Facebook recently, and I assumed they only opened in small towns, yet they compete more with Tractor Supply and CountryMax, which are in my area. Rural King are finally coming to New York with a store in Twin Tiers according to NBC 18 WETM, which led to this post. This opens the door to more locations by starting near the state line. Since some other chains are harder to replace with their own sort, Rural King might take over these properties as they did in Chemung County. Most of the country is near some form of countryside, even in bigger areas, so it shouldn't be too hard to come up with new locations like with the rest.

Elmira - S Main St; former Tops (confirmed)

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

Sidney - former Great American BK5

Greene - former Great American BK5

Cortland - former flea market, Riverside Mall; NY 13

Auburn - former Sears, Fingerlakes Mall; US 20 & NY 5

Syracuse - former P&C/Tops, Westvale Plaza; NY 5

Oneida - former Foodtown; NY 365A

New Hartford - former Herb Phillipsons; New Hartford Shopping Ctr

Rome - former P&C/Tops/Grand Union, Freedom Plaza; NY 46 & 49

Albany (Colonie) - former Barnes & Noble/ShopRite; Wolf Rd

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

Gloversville - former Price Chopper; N Main St

Watertown - former P&C/Tops/Grand Union; US 11

Fulton - former kmart, River Glen Plaza; NY 481

Oswego - NY 104

Rochester (Henrietta) - former Freddys/PriceRite, SouthTown Plaza; NY 252

Buffalo (Amherst) - former Best Buy, NY 78

Maplewood Bar & Grill

AI of Maplewood Bar & Grill in Mattydale Plaza

 Maplewood Inn started as an indie hotel on 7th North St in Liverpool after Days Inn had moved a mile away, in a part of town with lodging off of I-81 and the Thruway with proximity to the airport. Then it became a franchise of Holiday Inn Express after the full-fledged one had left the once-again Randolph House on Electronics Pkwy (previously Sheraton, later Ramada, and now sister chain Wyndham) and the later original Comfort Inn on Buckley Road (previously covered). Either corporate or the franchise shut down the restaurant section over a year ago. Not too far away in Mattydale, the flagship Zebb's in the former kmart Plaza on Brewerton Road (US 11) had closed, so the owners bought it and we're still waiting for it to open. Mattydale, Hinsdale, Pitcher Hill and Northern Lights Plaza have all fallen into decline in recent years like many part of the country as far as business goes. The ongoing I-81 Project has also caused concern for the hotel owners. The economy overall worries everyone these days.
 I went to the original Maplewood once for Halloween a few years ago when looking for somewhere to go on the night (we'll cover that later before then). I've eaten at Zebb's on occasion over the years. That chain once stretched from Rochester to the Mohawk Valley. There isn't much left in that plaza, even with their neighbor across the street making an effort to prove presenter Dave Portnoy wrong. He must have slated Mattydale Plaza as well if he bothered to look at that, but much of these places were nice once. As for Maplewood, their menu is quite good, and they focus more on local artists like Ronnie Leigh, John McConnell and Tom Chick (seen a couple of them at other places, not sure if two have played the old guard, and I don't typically or specifically see area performers like I would for national artists). My idea is when they have events for specific holidays and annual traditions. After three recent  attempts at Mardi Gras, only to find it's not like the other holiday as in the South with a Cajun twist, maybe the end of Carnival could have some resemblance to Orleans Parish next year, and a Zydeco, Dr John type (he did OCC for Jazz Fest), or other band could play (this should be on the sister blog). I'll have to go through the year like Stevie Wonder to determine which ones would work. St Valentines Day, then Fat Tuesday if not the same day, St Patricks Day (perfect for the local), also an Easter Sunday buffet and community-focused get-together for those of us with nowhere else to go or no one to go with), Adult Prom (that was inevitable, but it's big enough from what I remember as Zebb's), Fourth of July with this years milestone, even my birthday since some people hold a public birthday bash, Labor Day if that's a thing for a show, the H-word, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve. Getting there by bus at nights and weekends may be an issue. Open Jam and something else are going to be a regular occurrence. It's still early days just finishing up everything. I really would like some small-time yet international names to come here once in a while without pushing out CNY ones like Jess Novak, Mark Zane and Paul Davie (seen them too). I love supporting small and local business, even if I go to see hometown people per se to a lesser extent. I'm looking forward to the new Maplewood Bar & Grill and their continued success in future.

Grand Union: Not Again?

Grand Union on NY 86 in Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Mountains

Retail Regents, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 It's been five years' time since the merger of Tops and Price Chopper, which had led to several overlapping locations in small towns to be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers, who revived the Grand Union name, yet this past year, old habits die hard, while recent events make it difficult to operate, even in outlying rural communities with little competition since even there, some residents can have a transportation barrier, such as the over-60s, disabled, low-wage earners and others on a limited income. The Owego store was the first of the new generation to close last year, with ALDI opening nearby to boot. Now the stores in Norwich, Cooperstown, and Watertown are next. Chenango County has had no proper public transport for over a years time, so the authorities are scrambling to help those who can't get to the outskirts of town while waiting for new bus service to even occur. Baseball country also has a local place, as does Peru in Champlain Valley, trying to be Davids if the Goliaths are slain, as it were. Jefferson County has more options by comparison, yet between having something close at hand and even finding another union chain, this is happening coast to coast, and with Grand Union, you know how things happen in threes. There have even been some rumors in Cortland on Facebook, and that's the largest and nicest one I've seen of the current chain. The old guard Grand Union had dealt with the economy of that time, mismanagement, debt, administration, embezzlement, liquidation, what-have-you. The Enron of supermarkets! (Both companies were on the way out around the same time to boot.) While the new ones are dealing with different challenges, it does make me want to get back to one of the few I can reach because it does worry me and these communities. There isn't that much time left.
    Tops could return to Cortland, Watertown, Rome, Warrensburg, Peru, and Saranac Lake if things take a turn for the worse all over again since these stores either have enough competition or are far enough from a Price Chopper or Market 32 now that it's been long enough since they were told to spin off, yet even the Liverpool one closed with Tops just up the road. As for Grand Union, it'll be hard to find a new chain tied to UFCW (Local One for much of Upstate NY, as Rome had been the de facto flagship), or you'll be lucky to get anything at this stage these days. Otsego County could even wind up with ALDI since it's the one place where the two don't compete (Oneonta is across the county down the road). The sole non-NY store in Rutland, VT might sell to Albertsons Shaws or Star Market (pro-union and job-saving Feel the Bern would make sure).
    It's not quite the Grand Union I grew up with, but one closure of any place is one too many. It's sad that it's come to this once more. More as this story further develops.

Tully's Good Times

Better AI of Fayetteville Tullys

 Tully's Good Times are known for their chicken tenders and sports display, with locations throughout Central and Western New York and Northeastern Pennsylvania. Some CNY locations were previously the Ground Round (Liverpool and possibly Fairmount), Uno's Pizzeria and Grill (Fayetteville, pictured), and Friendlys (Tullys Tenders in Oswego). The last post led me to take it further with Tullys. While two on the list have been confirmed by the chain as far as them wanting to open them, they're in the same boat as for the rest the way we do things around here. The same family also own CopperTop Tavern, which only have a few locations, while having closed Good Buddy's Pub in Fairmount up W Genesee St from that Tullys, where TJs Big Boy and IHOP used to be and is now Second Chance Diner, which in turn, moved in from Camillus, but more on that another day. In Liverpool, Tullys Tenders have been looking to build on NY 31 between CR 57 and NY 481. Microns construction may prompt that of the truncated version of the chain that is already on NY 104 after going up the previous highway. Originally from Batavia, the chain are now based in East Syracuse, and the east side location is the de facto flagship. Someone on Facebook had brought up one in the Mohawk Valley that is also in the works, akin to the one shown. As for the rest of the region, I'll just have to look around the region for other closed restaurants that can be done up as usual, or even just built from the ground up, if that. Now I must go back at least once a month for lunch now that they gave me a punch card to draw me in.

Liverpool (Clay/Bayberry) - NY 31, build from scratch (no pun intended); Tullys Tenders (confirmed)

New Hartford - CR 21, former Unos/Outback Steakhouse?; Orchard Plaza (plans confirmed for new location in that area)

Cortland - NY 281 & 222; former Eckerd/Rite Aid (since another pharmacy is unlikely)

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96; former Burger King (building could be demolished since it's a state)

Oneida - NY 5; former KFC? (could be too small, so may also be replaced by original building site)

Horseheads - CR 35 & 75; Arnot Mall (I don't know Twin Tiers well enough to think of another spot)

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall (even Cayuga County is tight on space along that corridor)

Advocates, Incorporated: Dine for Dollars

Fayetteville Tullys AI made from Unos

 Every month, Advocates Incorporated, a non-profit organisation that I've been involved with for the past couple years, partner with a different restaurant in Onondaga County, either a local business or the franchise of a regional or national chain, where if you mention the promotion or show it to them on your phone or tablet, the restaurant will usually match 20% of proceeds that are donated back to Advocates. They've worked with indies like King Davids, Home Run Pub and Stingers Pizza Pub; regional chains like diBellas, Tullys and Friendlys; and national ones such as Panera, IHOP, Red Robin (we've done two locations to get both sides of the county), and Texas Roadhouse (Clay, not deWitt). Tullys only want old school print, so you'd have to do it at home or work if possible, or go to the library or shipping place (I had to around the corner at the last minute after learning the hard way), yet they also do the same for our star players other cause, the local theatre company Front Row Players (last time, they were neck and neck). For me, if something doesn't get on with my stomach or budget, or is located too far for me to get to at that stage, then I just don't need to every month. We're not the Bob Geldof and Midge Ure (Band Aid) of Advocates, of course. We're just two complicated artists trying to find time for a coffee, mind (we eventually did, but that's a story for another day). Do check both NGOs' sites and socials for more information (FRP may only do this once or twice a year, and is otherwise unrelated to the monthly appeal). Is likely just tax deductible for the business, not the customer, yet it would be more relevant coming from a local place (you might know how that goes).

Special thanks Nicholas Courgi.

Caribou Coffee

Older Caribou Coffee in the Twin Cities Region. Courtesy Scott Beale/Laughing Squid.

 As if we need another coffee chain, Caribou Coffee, one chiefly in the Midwest and east coast south of the Beltway (those went to Peets, which I may do another day), was brought up by the floof group, led by another "Cervidae". I likely may have heard of it before in passing, but I'm not sure how, since it's from the Minnesota Capital Region. I could have even seen it in Chicago, where they'd be up against McDonald's McCafé. This is likely the very last post for 2025. Here's where Caribou could "rein" in:

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza, former Hofmann Hot Haus/Salt City Dogs (demolish building since it's too small and dated to be done up to Caribous standards and start fresh)

Mattydale - US 11 & Malden Rd; former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens (instead of above)

Oneida - NY 5, former KFC?

Baldwinsville (former Tri-County Mall) - Downer St, former Eckerd/Rite Aid

Cortland - NY 281 & 222, former Eckerd/Rite Aid

Syracuse (east side) - NY 5

Camillus - W Genesee St, former Friendlys/Second Chance Diner

Cicero - US 11 & Caughdenoy Rd, former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens

Baldwinsville (Moyers Corners) - NY 31 & CR 57, Kimbrook Plaza; former KeyBank?/Walgreens

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall

Fulton - NY 3; former Rite Aid/Walgreens

Oswego - NY 104