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 official mention that the Leominster, MA-based Victory was not connected with Norwich-based Victory Markets and 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 (Leominster) locations in New England. Back in Upstate NY, at least one Victory (NY) or Great American 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, Tops 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, but were sold in 2023 to Price Chopper/Market 32]), 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!). Victory even owned Carl's Drugs from 1988 until 1991 when it was sold to Fay's. Great American replaced many Loblaws east of I-390 and Lake Ontario to the MA/VT/CT state lines when the Canadian giant left the US in the late '70s. Even a few Grand Unions were taken over by Great American by that point. This may be as complete as it gets, but more always comes up. An Australian company once owned Victory. Victory Market chains in California, Alabama, Pennsylvania (Alleghany County); Florida, NY (which had to be renamed Big V, later a ShopRite franchise and property company), and Michigan were also unrelated (that'll go in the other post now). This is exhaustive, so it will change periodically.

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? (old store now demolished)

Port Jervis (US 6 & 209) - now Price Chopper

Port Leyden (NY 12)

Sidney (1) (BK5, recently closed)

Sidney (2) (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) (NY 38)

Guilderland – Great American – 1235 Western Avenue (US 20) (formerly ShopRite) - now diBellas Subs and Uncommon Grounds in University Plaza

Hamilton – Victory Market – 11 Eaton St (became a Great American) - now Waynes Market

Hartwick – Victory Market – Main (NY 205) & South Streets (became a Peter Pumpkin)

Hancock – Victory Market –95 East Front Street (NY 97) (became a Great American; now Marinos Outdoor World)

Hankins (NY 97) – Victory Market - never a Great American

Herkimer – Victory Market – 232 West Albany Street (NY 5 & 28) (became a Great American) - later Herb Phillipsons; now Harbor Freight Tools

Herkimer - Great American - (NY 28) - formerly Loblaws and P&C; now Hannaford

Hinsmans Corners (Binghamton) – Victory Market – 1318 Upper Front Street (US 11) - never a Great American; now Lowes

Homer – Victory Market – (never a Great American) (US 11)

Horseheads – Great American – 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 (information on this division is even rarer, so for another day)

Oriskany Falls (NY 12B & 26)

Owego (Bodle Hill Rd) - likely demolished

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) - now various businesses

North Utica - previously Chicago Markets, now Big Lots

Walton (204 Delaware St/NY 10) - now Big M

Fulton (NY 481) - later Fays and Eckerd; now doctors office

Rotterdam (Altamont Ave) - previously ShopRite; probably demolished

Gloversville (NY 30A) - previously Chicago Markets and Loblaws

Glenville (NY 50 & Glen Ridge Rd) - Mayfair Shopping Ctr; previously Grand Union and ShopRite; closed 1992

Gouverneur (1) (US 11 & NY 58) - Victory only

Gouverneur (2) (US 11 & Rawley St) - Great American and Loblaws

Morris (NY 23 & 514)

Monticello (NY 42)

Milford (NY 7)

Mt Upton (CR 37)

Stamford (NY 10 & 23)

Ellenville (US 209) - later ShopRite?

Potsdam (1) (NY 56) - Great American; now Price Chopper

Potsdam (2) (NY 11B) - Victory; later Big M; now IGA

Lake George (US 9)

Mexico (NY 104) - later Big M; now Tops?

Glens Falls (Upper Glen Rd) - previously ShopRite

Bainbridge (NY 7) - now vacant (on an album sleeve from indie band Empty Country)

Cobleskill (NY 7) - closed in 2002

Middleburgh (NY 30) - initial plans to open as Great American in 2015 changed and eventually opened as Valley Market instead, which is sister to surviving Prattsville store in the region

Unadilla (NY 7)

Red Creek (NY 104A)

Locke (NY 38 & 90)

Moravia (NY 38 & 38A)

Malone (US 11 & NY 30) - previously Loblaws

Painted Post (1) (NY 17C) - Village Square Shopping Center; previously A&P, now Valu Home Center

Painted Post (2) (NY 415)

Corning (1) (NY 415/W Pulteney St) - previously Loblaws, later Salvation Army Thrift Store and Byrne Dairy; now vacant

Corning (2) (Conhocton St)

Ithaca (Adams & 2nd Sts) - previously Loblaws; likely demolished

Massena (NY 37) - TBD

Sayre, PA (US 15) - later P&C, now Tops

Waverly (NY 17C) - previously Grand Union

South Waverly, PA (CR 1070) - Valley Plaza; previously Grand Union; now CVS?

Erwin (NY 414)

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

Schoharie (NY 30)

Oneonta (NY 7 & 28) - Southside Mall, later OfficeMax; now Michaels (inside shown on an Instagram account)

New Berlin (NY 8 & 80)

Worcester (NY 7)

Binghamton (Main & S Washington Sts)

Prattsville (NY 23) - last surviving GA store with ties to the chain (not counting any unrelated stores outside Upstate NY [specifically west of Twin Tiers/mid-Finger Lakes] due to generic nature of name)

West Winfield (1) (NY 51) - now Dollar General

West Winfield (2) (US 20 & NY 51) - TBD

Oxford - now Dollar General

Watertown (1) (NY 3) - Nichols Plaza; previously A&P; now Big Lots

Watertown (2) (NY 12) - previously Loblaws; now a mental health facility

Marathon (US 11 & NY 221) - later Peter Pumpkin

Boonville (NY 12) - now vacant

Cairo (NY 23) - now Hannaford

Adams Center (US 11) - later store; now Adams Center Market

Alexandria Bay (NY 12) - now Price Chopper?

Millerton (US 44) - previously Grand Union and Trottas

Apalachin (NY 17)

Amsterdam (NY 30) - previously Chicago Markets/Bag 'n Save and Loblaws

Camillus (W Genesee St) - Camillus Plaza; later 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 (1) (NY 28 & 80) - later P&C, now Grand Union

Cooperstown (2) (NY 28) - Ar-De's Great American until 2010; now Price Chopper

Delhi (NY 10)

Sherrill (NY 5) - later P&C and Tops; now Grand Union

Fonda (NY 30A) - now Cumberland Farms

Laurens (NY 205)

Liberty (1) (NY 52)

Liberty (2) (S Main St) - later Liberty Market and Ideal Food Market; now Lemonade Kosher Supermarket

Lyons Falls (NY 12)

Sherburne (NY 12) - now Big M

Richfield Springs (1) (US 20 & NY 28) - both chains; now Price Chopper

Richfield Springs (2) (CR 22) - just Victory; TBD

Tully (US 11 & NY 80) - now Nightingales Tully Lakes Hardware

Ilion (NY 5S)

Whitesboro (1) (NY 69) - Great American; previously Loblaws; now storage center

Whitesboro (2) (Main St) - Victory; now audiologists office

East Greenbush (US 9 & 20)

Hudson (US 9)

Little Falls (NY 5 & 169) - previously Loblaws; later Big M

Catskill (US 9W)

Colonie (Wolf Rd) - previously ShopRite; later Bed, Bath and Beyond; now vacant

East Stroudsburg, PA (US 209) - formerly Genettis (last non-NY store)

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

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

Elmira (1) (Lake St) - Diven Plaza, now demolished

Elmira (2) (William St) - previously Loblaws; later ValueWay; now Save-a-Lot

Elmira (3) (Erie St) - now vacant

Big Flats/Horseheads (CR 35 & 43 off I-86/NY 17) - Arnot Mall; previously Loblaws; absorbed by expansion

Syracuse (east side) (NY 5)

Syracuse (south side) - (S Salina & Tallman Sts.) (Victory now building site; Great American now demolished)

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 ValueWay

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)

Smyrna (NY 80)

Ogdensburg - Park Plaza; previously Loblaws; now demolished

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) (1) - Victory; previously Red & White (brand still exists)

Syracuse (NY 92) (2)  - Victory; previously Market Basket (not New England chain)

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

Cincinnatus (NY 26) - later Peter Pumpkin (spinoff chain)

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

Oneida (NY 5 & 46/Wilson St) - Ames Plaza (then); now Oneida Indian Nation headquarters and Big Lots

Clayville (NY 8)

Saugerties (US 9W)

Schenevus (NY 7)

Endwell (800 Hooper Rd./CR 33), Park Manor Plaza; previously Grand Union [until 1995] and Giant; now Raleigh Baseball Institute (bigger Giant turned Weis opened across plaza)

Roscoe (off NY 17) - now IGA

Oswego (NY 104) - later Green Planet Grocery, now demolished

Rome (NY 46) - previously Loblaws; now Market 32

Conklin (NY 7)

Cortland (1) (NY 13 & Main St) - Great American and Victory; now CVS?

Cortland (2) (NY 41 & US 11?) - Victory only; later P&C; now Dollar General

Cortlandville (NY 281) - also both

Deposit - Elm & Monument Sts.

deRuyter (NY 13) - now Big M?

Phoenicia (NY 28)

Eaton (NY 26)

Edmeston (NY 80)

Jeffersonville (NY 52)

Kingston (US 9W) - later Weis?; now Marshalls

Whitney Point (US 11)

McGraw (NY 41)

North Syracuse (US 11) - Victory; previously Market Basket (not New England chain)

New Hartford (1) (NY 5) - TBD (address provided changed)

New Hartford (2) (NY 5A) - Tehan Plaza; now Hannaford; previously Chicago Markets and Tops

Syracuse (north side) - later Wegmans, now Tops

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

Great American AI rendering with close enough later logo