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 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 and liquidation. The Enron of supermarkets! 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 much time left now.
    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 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. The sole non-NY store in Rutland, VT might sell to Albertsons Shaws or Star Market (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 develops.

Sweetheart Market: 80 Years On

 

AI of original store with real signs added

    While trying to find inspiration for this months post, I thought I would find it at Drivers Village in Cicero, which was Penn-Can Mall in the old days. I didn't see anything new to go on there, but I did see a restored photo of Sweetheart Market from a few miles away on the corner of US 11 and West Taft Road in North Syracuse. From fruit and veg stand with their own ice cream to a large corner shop. It was in 1979 that the store I remember had been built in order to compete with Williams across the street, as well as big names like Wegmans, Price Chopper, the old Tops, and P&C. It was part of the Hometown Markets co-op by 1985 when Williams weren't, but left when the latter were sold to Peters in 1996. By 2003, neither Sweetheart nor Peters could survive in the new century. Eckerd opened at the site and the corner sign remains to this day. Rite Aid is now empty, but could a new Sweetheart Market open inside since getting CVS in there is a longshot at this rate? Now that a large Walmart and ALDI are also now in the picture, it would be more uphill for Sweetheart to stand out in the current climate, even though a few remaining rivals of the same stature still do.

I recently came across a Sweetheart cart earlier this year on Burnet Ave in Eastwood. Not sure how it got all the way over there or stayed intact for over two decades. This was down the street from where Burnet Market, Big M turned onetime fellow Hometown Market and later indie health food store that was also demolished. I even found a Peters cart across from Wegmans in East Syracuse of all places.

If I were shopping at Sweetheart today.

The sign is not the only thing that made it.

Media Play/On Cue

Former Media Play in South Hills Mall in Dutchess County (now demolished)

 Media Play were part of the Musicland conglomerate that included Sam Goody and On Cue. Napster, iTunes and illegal downloading brought an end to the chain by 2006. At first, I could only dig up a handful of stores, including a few in CNY, one in the Hudson Valley, and another in Ohio Valley. I managed to find them all, but of course will mainly stick to those that were on New York soil because that's the point of this blog.

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; previously Woolworths and Kallet Theatres; later Black Mamba; closed 2003 (District East on hold again, go figure)

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza; previously Burlington; closed 2003

Auburn - NY 5, On Cue, Auburn Plaza; now ALDI (honorable mention since they were a sister chain, essentially a truncated version of Media Play for smaller markets like Cayuga County. Some remaining locations in other areas later became Sam Goody after Best Buy took over before those were closed.)

Poughkeepsie - US 9, South Hills Mall; now the Shoppes at South Hills (pictured)

Cincinnati, OH - Cincinnati Mills Mall; now demolished (only non-NY one I'm putting here)

Amherst - NY 79; later FYE; now Hobby Lobby

Albany (Guilderland) - Washington Ave Ext, Crossgates Commons; TBD

Niagara Falls - US 62 & NY 265, Milpine Plaza

Hamburg - NY 179, McKinley Mall

Middletown - off NY 17/I-86 & 84, Dunning Farms Shopping Center; now Ollies Bargain Outlet?

Henrietta - NY 252 & 15, South Town Plaza

Niskayuna - NY 5, Mohawk Mall

Greece - NY 104, Ridgemont Plaza

Cheektowaga - Walden Place; now Ollies Bargain Outlet

Bowling in CNY

If a bowling alley were in downtown Syracuse today

 While sports isn't something I typically cover, one thing I've noticed over the years is that bowling alleys in Syracuse are fewer by the day. It's not as big anymore. I managed to write a list of locations of where they used to be, but I can't remember the names of most of them. It'd be too easy to get a free image of the inside of any bowling alley, and I can't find one of the outside of any open or closed. I used to have a photo of one of these, but it was ruined and later disappeared. Another one across town, I can still picture the Jerry Lewis MDA gumball machine from the mid-'80s. NBC 3 used to be the local affiliate for a national bowling show on Saturdays. In recent memory, a tournament was held at the OnCenter (Onondaga County convention center). So much for Homer Simpsons perfect 300 game. Here's where they used to strike before winding up in the gutter (that was bad).

Solvay - Milton Ave, Solvay Recreation Alleys; one of the oldest in the area and country; recently closed due to the owners death

Syracuse (Eastwood) (1) - NY 290, Eastwood Plaza; later a dance studio; now Yesteryear Antiques & Collectibles

Syracuse (Eastwood) (2) - NY 290 & now 598; Eastwood Sport Center; now Kinney Pharmacy; parking lot now Dunkin' and Papa Johns (previously ToGos)*

Syracuse (east side) (1) - NY 5 & 635; later Tilted Kilt; now KPot*

Syracuse (east side) (2) - NY 5; now Express Bottle Return

Syracuse (west side) - NY 5; now ALDI*

Auburn (1) - Pulaski St, Falcons Lanes

Auburn (2) - NY 5 & US 20, Starlite Lanes (as of April 2025)

Skaneateles - US 20, Cedar House Bowling Lanes; being rebuilt

North Syracuse - US 11, Bowling Green Lanes

Liverpool - Old Liverpool Rd, Lakeview Bowling Center

Central Square - NY 49, Green Acres Lanes

East Syracuse - Bowl-Mor Lanes, Highland Ave

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A, Pinz; Sangertown Square; a different animal and further out, but also worth mentioning

*Demolished

Notsky, dolly and the other floofs go night bowling

Dolly, Notsky, Wuffy and Duffy keep bowling alive

This could be a spot the differences thing in magazines.

Trader Joe's

Fairfield County location, once again from Mike Mozart (who better?!).

 Let's take a break from department stores. Trader Joes may seem too easy, but even in Upstate NY, they certainly have plenty of room to grow. I first went in Chicago, then Rochester, and it finally came to deWitt, even though I don't go as much anymore. There are only five others Upstate and several in the Tri-State. The Capital Region has two (the only area in NY outside the city with more than one so far), and may get a third, despite recent events I won't get into here. Aldi North own the chain, which separated form Aldi South decades ago, who run the US and UK divisions, and are split in Germany and Europe. I may use * locations unless they're too close to competitors or where there's not a lot of money (you know how it is), although that will lead to another post for later, being a different animal. Trader Joes also don't need that much space.

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Crossing or NY 5*

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

Cortlandville - NY 281; former kmart

Elmira - Lake St*

Glenmont - NY 32 & Fuera Bush Rd, Glenmont Plaza (TBC)

Kingston - US 9W*

Liverpool - NY 31; former Price Chopper, COR Plaza

Middletown - NY 211; Walkill Plaza*

Oswego - NY 104*

Plattsburgh - NY 3*

Poughkeepsie - US 9; former Natures Harvest; South Square Plaza

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

Utica - NY 5; former Chicago Markets/Great American/Big Lots

Watertown - NY 3*

West Nyack - NY 59, former ShopRite or Stop & Shop

Williamsville - NY 78, former Applebees (confirmed; only one in NYS in 2015-16 so far)

*former Big Lots

Former FYE/TransWorld locations

Older location, possibly in Connecticut; courtesy Mike Mozart

 FYE were formerly owned by TransWorld in Albany County, but were sold to Sunrise Records in Canada (which I did a separate post for when I thought they'd come to the US on their own). I will provide a list of as many of the chains that were acquired that had stores Upstate and beyond that I remember. Outside CNY and/or too far back, I can't say straight away what's there now.

Auburn (Sennett) - OnCue, now ALDI; NY 5

Auburn (Aurelius) - FYE, Fingerlakes Mall; vacant; NY 5 & US 20

Delmar - Coconuts, Delaware Plaza; NY 443

Albany (Guilderland) - Coconuts, Stuyvesant Plaza; US 20

Albany (Colonie) - Colonie Center (old and later stores); NY 5 & Wolf Rd*

Syracuse (north side 1) - Carousel Center/Destiny USA (old store closed 2012), later Papaya*

Syracuse (north side 2) - same as above; Record World, Square Circle and Suncoast

Syracuse (downtown 1) - Record Town, later Dollar Wise, now closed; S Salina St

Syracuse (downtown 2) - Tape World, Galleries, now offices; S Salina & E Jefferson Sts.

deWitt - FYE and Record Town, Shoppingtown Mall; mall to become District East; NY 5

Fayetteville - Record Town, Fayetteville Mall, now Towne Center; NY 5 & N Burdick St

Williamsville - NY 78

Utica (Deerfield) - Camelot Music, Riverside Mall, now Riverside Plaza; NY 8, 12 & 49

Clay - Great Northern Mall, to redeveloped with Microns pending arrival; NY 31 & 481

Cicero - Record Town, Penn Can Mall, now Drivers Village

Camillus - Record Town, Camillus Mall, now Camillus Commons (Lowes and Walmart)

Fairmount - Record Town, Fairmount Fair, now strip center

Washington, DC - Union Station

Kingston - Record Town, Hudson Valley Mall, US 9W

*current stores down the hall

Gordon Food Service

Miami-Dade County location

 I was just told about Gordon Food Service, which services restaurants, schools, institutions, care homes and other businesses. They also have a retail division open to the general public. We used to have their competitor Maines in CNY in deWitt and North Syracuse, and GFS used to be in Watertown and remain in Buffalo, but have no other stores in the state today. I've gone to a similar mom and pop in Cortland, but it's just not the same. Like the wholesale clubs, they carry bulk, which is maybe too much for someone on their own like me. It would be a welcome change to the scene.

Syracuse (Westvale) - former P&C/Tops. Westvale Plaza, NY 5

New Hartford - former Herb Phillipsons, New Hartford Shopping Center

Albany - former Barnes & Noble, Wolf Rd.

Henrietta - former Bed, Bath & Beyond; NY 252

Cortland - former kmart, NY 281

Vestal - former Bed, Bath & Beyond; NY 434

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

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

Ted's Fish Fry: 75 Years On

US 20 location near SUNY UAlbany

 After writing about Dougs Fish Fry, thought I'd look into the Capital Regions own seafood chain, Teds Fish Fry, which celebrates their 75th Anniversary this year. I've only been to the ones in Watervliet (pictured) and Colonie. One in Troy closed last year (Hoosick St. remains open). It's rare enough I get to Albany anymore, let alone on a Friday (I'm that hardcore, yet an event downtown typical for the area half the year made that possible). Because I've only gone to the District that much when my relatives were still alive and/or in the area, I managed to find suggestions on Teds Facebook page (I'll only use ones within a 50 mile radius of Albany), which makes much more sense than to scramble online looking for properties. The former Grandmas on NY 5 may be too close to the Wolf Rd and Western Ave (US 20; pictured) locations, as would both Crossgates Mall and Colonie Center, since Teds want their own space, not the mall's. Ballston Spa will get a new one on NY 50 in the fall. The vacancies don't always have to be former restaurants, just zoned for it (you know the rule book).

Glenmont - former Applebees, US 9W

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

Rensselaer - former ALDI, US 9 & 20

Amsterdam - former Pizza Hut, NY 30

Ballston Spa - former Pizza Hut, NY 50 (confirmed)

Niskayuna - former Thai Thai Bistro, NY 146 & Nott St E

DG Market

New Syracuse store in the Valley

 While Dollar General only came to CNY in the late '90s, subsidiary DG Market is even more late. Syracuse.com merely mentioned one of the two that opened on the south side, which is one of far too many food deserts across the country affecting vulnerable populations, much of whom lack personal transport (you know how it is). The one the site mentioned on S. Salina St. (US 11) and E. Brighton Ave. turned out to be the former Big M (closed in the '90s) and Factory Direct Furniture Outlet (competed with the flagship Dunk & Bright across the street and thus just moved to Shop City) and nothing at this writing just yet on the other one only a few miles away at the corner of W. Seneca Tpke. and Valley Dr. (NY 173 & 80; pictured) in the former Eckerd/Rite Aid/Walgreens. While many would like the old A&P/P&C/Tops in Valley Plaza down the street from the former and around the corner from the latter to become a DG Market as well (as of 2025, the former Tops will become an indie instead), it may be too close to both and DG proper will close (although in an older, smaller space). Across town in Mattydale, the Walgreens there is on the way out, and there hasn't been a grocery store there in thirty years time since P&C (previously Tops until 1986, where Big Lots is today) moved up Brewerton Road (also US 11) to the former Channel Home Center in Airport Plaza in North Syracuse (now Tops as well). Regular DG is at the corner of E. Molloy Rd. where arch-rival Family Dollar (currently about to close 1,000 stores, after spinning off of Dollar Tree) had been. We all know these chains are all over the place these days, and as for DGs competitors, it's a classic case of too many stores along with recent events, yet DG have been thriving when much of the public hasn't. DG Market offers items that the main chain or even DGX (the downtown division; mine in the old Woolworths/Rite Aid) doesn't. Even Trafalgar, IN is getting a DG Market (which I discovered whilst trying to do my research), as well as the North Country back here (albeit at the expense of a nearby small town mom-and-pop). Now we should come up with the usual list of locations of where to put one, even though it may be a copout and sellout at the same time with a big name like this. I'll throw in a couple from out-of-state. Turnover is normal in the chain industry, and in 2025, Dollar General closed a hundred stores, while planning on opening over 450 in 2026, with the potential of around 110,000 over time, gradually acquiring other chains' vacancies nationwide. Here's just where to put DG Market as the regular kind is too easy (maybe in Camillus).

Binghamton - NY 7, former Giant/Weis

Greene - former Great American BK Five

Sidney - CR 23, former Great American BK Five

North Syracuse - US 11 & Chestnut St, former Rite Aid/Walgreens (confirmed for 2026; DG proper up the street at Bear Rd will close when the lease runs out)

Albany (south end) - NY 32 or US 9W et al

Renssalaer - US 9 & 20; former Aldi

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

Troy (Lansingburgh) - US 4; former Price Chopper

Taylor, PA - former Price Chopper (as of 19/4/24)

Utica - Genesee St.; former Fays/Eckerd/Rite Aid

Fulton - NY 481; former kmart, River Glen Plaza (regular DG in former last surviving CNY Woolworths downtown up the street)

Hubbard, OH - former Save-a-Lot (closed due to right rent rise and roof row)

Albany (Delaware Area) - NY 443 & US 9W; former Save-a-Lot/Fays?

BiLo Foods/Riverside Markets

Former Butler County store; was also kmart (montage)

    
    BiLo Foods, no relation to BI-LO in the mid-Atlantic (Tops' former sister chain, which we covered already), an Australian chain or anything else with the same name, were P&Cs sister chain in Pennsylvania (except the Northwest in the Erie and Bradford areas where Penn Traffic had Quality from WNY, or P&C in Sayre). Some are closer to Pittsburgh, while others were across the Keystone State in the Northeast, mainly in Twin Tiers. Three former locations probably became Tops, the Renovo store is now Lingles (previously A&P, Super Duper and Weis), and Kens BiLo in Northern Cambria and Patton just retired their use of the BiLo name. A few other BiLos don't have their own sites, nor is their one for all of them. There is also a BiLo in Iberia Parish in Louisiana unrelated to either chain. One former store in Centre Country is now an Ollies Bargain Outlet. Numerous examples are scattered around and it can take all day to list them all since I'm not as familiar with this chain or state myself, and it's only because of the former parent company's ties to my area that this counts here, as well as the events of the 2010s tying the two BiLos together somewhat with the Tops purchase or the Ahold Delhaize merger in the Benelux and US East Coast (the Carolinas one lives on through ALDI as BI-LOs later sister stores Winn-Dixie and Harveys merged with them). Riverside were founded in 1932 and by the '80s, the BiLo name outnumbered the other. Both survive today as independently owned and operated businesses, just trying to get on in this economy.

    The Pennsylvania BiLo are chiefly in small towns and are affiliated with Best Yet/C&S. I know I saw one off I-81 in Susquehanna Valley in Hallstead like the one I had a photo of in Canton with the '50s/'60s architecture. Maybe it was the one I saw. Anyway, BiLo/Riverside and P&C are the last surviving remnants of Penn Traffic (not counting the Atlanta Big Bear or Krogers QFC for Quality). It's also another case of two or more things having the same name before the Internet was around to check (I just learned that bilo is a type of Filipino dish, and no I won't use that stupid catchphrase). I did manage to copy a dozen past locations from my previous post on P&C. Some operated as Riverside or other franchises (some are still with us today). I think I have half the Commonwealth listed! I had to dig deep, and like the chains back in New York, there's always more to add since there's no one site today.

Tyrone - now closed

Brockway - PA 28; now Martinos

Johnstown (1) - Riverside; previously Quaker Super Market; Osborne St Market and Gee Bee; now Randys BiLo (last one in area, which was originally home to Riverside apparently)

Johnstown (2) - Riverside; previously A&P, Thorofare, and Ideal

Johnstown (3) - previously Acme and Gee Bee; Riverside address changed

Johnstown (4) - Riverside; previously Thorofore; later Ideal

Johnstown (5) - Riverside (merged with Penn Traffic in 1962 and founded BiLo in 1974, which opened next door)

Johnstown (5) - Riverside; previously Thorofare and Shop 'n Save

Johnstown (6) - Riverside; previously Gee Bee; later Cloverleaf and Ideal

Johnstown (7) - Riverside; previously Quaker, Osborne, and Gee Bee; later Ideal

Muncy - outgoing Big Lots

West Pittston - US 11; Insalacos Shopping Center; previously Insalacos; now Gerritys

Clarion - US 322; now KFC

Wyoming - US 11; Midway Shopping Center; previously Insalacos; now Price Chopper

North Apollo - now Shop 'n Save

Cadiz, OH - Coffys BiLo; now Sanders (one of at least two outside PA)

Claysburg - now Claysburg Hometown Market

Jefferson - Thornes BiLo; now Belko

Benton - now Country Fresh Market and Hardware

Duncansville - US 22; now Martins?

Vowinckel - PA 66; now closed

Dagus Mines - PA 255; now closed

Portage - TBD; now closed

Pittston - US 11; previously Insalacos; now Redners

Flourtown - CR 2018; now Acme (wild guess because the façade has been done up since, and Giant up the road seemed too big, and I just can't do every single city, borough [village] and township because it's too much, even small towns don't always have information available, and I just don't have the time).

Commodore - TBD; now closed

East Brady - PA 38; now closed

Grove City - PA 58; now County Market

Huntingdon - US 22; US 22 Plaza

Sipesville - PA 985; now closed

Limestone - PA 66; now closed

Punxsutawney - later Mikes; now ALDI (first started writing this on Groundhog Day!)

Blairsville - now Bayada (health care non-profit)

Natrona Heights - Highlands Mall; now closed

McConnellsburg - PA 16; now Save-a-Lot

Morgantown, WV - now Crossfit Ridgeline

Greenville - Greenville Plaza; closed 2002

Mt Union - US 522; now closed

Lansford - US 209; now Boyers

Tannersville - PA 611; now Weis

Honesdale - US 6; now Weis

Shenandoah - PA 54; now Boyers

West Hazleton - PA 93; previously Insalacos; outgoing Big Lots

Kingston Township - Back Mountain Shopping Center; now closed

East Stroudsburg - Eagle Valley Corners; TBD

Hollidaysburg - Riverside; previously A&P; now Hometown Market

Martinsburg, WV - now closed

duBois - Riverside; also where office and distribution center once was, so I based this post there

Brookville - Riverside; original store opened during the Depression

Altoona (1)  - PA 764; Riverside only; previously A&P; now Family Dollar

Altoona (2)  - Riverside and BiLo; previously A&P; now Rite Aid

Altoona (3)  - Riverside only; previously A&P; now Thompson Pharmacy

Altoona (4)  - Riverside only; now demolished

Altoona (5)  - PA 764; Toms Riverside only; previously A&P and Food Rite; now Fefis

Altoona (6)  - BiLo only; Orchard Plaza; outgoing Big Lots

Altoona (7)  - Riverside only; Business US 220; now closed

East Comenaugh - Riverside; previously Food Rite; now closed

St Marys - PA 255; now closed

Sykesville - Riverside;now closed

Hallstead - US 11 & PA 171 (the borough at least was finally confirmed through archive.org) - previously Acme; now Robs Market (formerly ShurSave)

Montrose - later Big M; TBD

Renovo - previously Super Duper, A&P and Weis; now Lingles

Reynoldsville - US 322; BiLo and Riverside; now Mikes

Indiana - Riverside; now Valeskis 4th St BiLo

Harmony/Zelienople - now Northgate BiLo

Knox - PA 338; Riverside; now Toms Riverside Quality Foods

Northern Cambria - now Kens Foods

Patton - now just Kens (not that Ken!)

Canton - PA 50 & 414; now Tops (there should be a couple more)

Windber - now Randys BiLo

Hermitage - Shenango Valley Mall

Jersey Shore - previously Super Duper; now Lingles

Ridgway - Riverside; now Elk County Foods

State College - now Ollies Bargain Outlet

Somerset - now vacant

Troy - US 6; now Tops

Tunkhannock - PA 29; now Weis

Meadville - US 19; now Tops

Lock Haven - Clinton Plaza; now Save-a-Lot

Homer City - now Ideal

Scranton - previously Insalacos and Riccardos; now Schiffs

Berwick - previously Insalacos; now Boyers

Tamaqua - US 209; previously Insalacos; now Boyers

Jim Thorpe - previously Insalacos; now Jim Thorpe Market

Carbondale - now Weis

Mt Pocono - PA 940; now Weis

Peckville/Blakely - now Quinns

Clarks Summit - US 11; now Gerritys

Old Forge - previously Insalacos; later Rossis and Rays ShurSave; now closed

Edwardsville - now closed

Cranberry Township - PA 19; now closed (guess what's opening around the corner!)

Johnsonburg - PA 219

Wellsboro - previously Acme; now closed

Wilkes-Barre (1) - S Main St; previously Acme and Insalacos; later Volunteers if America (went here a couple times); now Prime Bins

Wilkes-Barre (2) - Stanton St; previously Insalacos; now demolished

Houtzdale - now Howards; PA 53

Hazleton/Mountain Top - PA 309; previously Insalacos; now Weis?

New Bethlehem - PA 28; Riverside; now Toms Riverside Quality Foods

New Bloomfield - now Karns

Oil City - US 62; now Giant Eagle

Mt Carmel - previously Acme; TJ Barts and Super Saver; now Boyers

Phillipsburg - Riverside; later Fezells County Market; now closed

Bellefonte - now Rite Aid

Ashland - PA 54; now Boyers

Brookville - PA 36; now Giant Eagle

Sandy Township - Riverside (office)

Mahanoy City - previously Acme; later P&R; now demolished

Butler - Friedmans; later kmart; now closed (pictured)

White - CR 1009; TBD

Seneca/Franklin? - US 62; now Giant Eagle

Pottsville - PA 61 & 183; previously Acme; now Giant

Williamsport - PA 2014; now IMC (business management)

Shermansdale - PA 34; now Dollar General

Mansfield - Business US 15; previously Super Duper; later Hurleys, IGA, and Sears Hometown Store; now closed

Petrolia - Taylors Riverside; now closed

Fisher - CR 1001

Milton - now closed

Venus - PA 157

Wellsboro - previously Super Duper

Dallas Township - Country Club Shopping Center; now Gerritys

Watsontown - Riverside; now Lingles

Ford City - now Hankeys Riverside

East Vandergrift - now closed

Seward - PA 711

Sligo - PA 58 & 68

Starford - CR 1012

Defiance - PA 1036

Coraopolis - TBD

Warrendale - now closed

Tylersburg - now closed

Titusville - PA 89 & 27; Riverside; now Titusville Market Square

Rimersburg - PA 68; Riverside; now Toms Riverside Quality Foods

Ebensburg - now ALDI?

Saxonsburg - Friedmans; now Sprankles

Montoursville -  - now closed

Renfrew - now closed

Homestead - now closed

Selinsgrove - later Weis; now Hobby Lobby

Russellton - now closed

Jerome - PA 56?; now closed

Glen Hope - now closed

Pitcairn - now closed

Clearfield - Riverside; Old Town Rd and Clearfield Mall; now closed

Lewisburg - US 15; previously Acme; later Save-a-Lot and Big Lots

AI Riverside. Courtesy Toms (logo) and Craiyon.

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. Other 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, because this Victory opened nearby and went to court), and Michigan were also unrelated (that'll go in the other post now). This is exhaustive, so it will change periodically. Even in my own area, current status of most locations are unknown unless indicated due to apparent age of stores.

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

Fayetteville (NY 5) - just Victory; later Super Duper, now dance studio (still has distinct design) and vacant restaurant (formerly Kirbys; pictured below)

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 (Victory that later became a Great American BK5; now closed)

Groton – Victory Market – 1980 Main Street (Victory; 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 (Victory that became 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 (1) – Victory Market – 232 West Albany Street (NY 5 & 28) (became a Great American) - later Herb Phillipsons; now Harbor Freight Tools

Herkimer (2) - 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 (NY 5) - previously Chicago Markets, outgoing 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 above; 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 '80s 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; outgoing 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; now dry cleaners?

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) - likely demolished by the '80s

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

Jamesville (NY 173); likely kitty corner across from Apulia Rd near Jamesville Rd/North St; now various businesses including Sunoco

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

Baldwinsville (NY 48) - later ValueWay; long gone

Baldwinsville (Downer St) - Tri-County Mall; long since demolished; now over-60s flats

Dryden (NY 13 & 38) - later Great American, Eckerd, and Rite Aid; now demolished (pictured below)

Grand Gorge (NY 23 & 30)

Clinton (NY 12B)

deWitt (NY 5) - levelled by the '80s

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

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) - Kings Plaza; 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) - 1st North & Pond Sts; later Wegmans, now Tops

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

Great American AI rendering with close enough later logo

Fayetteville today with replica logo (neither AI nor borrowed) 

AI of Dryden store with '70s car

AI of Fayetteville store with Kirbys and 2010s Jeep

Giant Markets of Binghamton: 90 Years On

If Giant were still around today, it'd look like this.

 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 when 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 trade name was retired, yet the company are still a legal entity belonging to the family owning properties, some with their old stores, and they still have their office with the name in Vestal, which must mean that the Rano Blvd. store with the mini-mall was the de facto flagship in later years just a couple blocks away. 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, particularly a smaller, mom and pop operation in a smaller area such as eastern Twin Tiers.

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) (Weis recently closed)

50-60 Pennsylvania Ave (near hospital, shown below)

93 Pennsylvania Ave (now closed)

56-58 Main St (later Family Dollar; now closed)

160 Robinson St (the one I visited; should have taken a photo so I could edit if I had planned this, so I resorted to cheap AI instead)

278 Robinson St (now a doctors office, with later store up the street)

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 off Vestal Pkwy E (NY 434) (previously ShopRite; latter-day de facto flagship with mini mall near Giant offices [I learned more as of 15/12/26])

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 (opened that close by the Axels to keep competitors from opening nearby, having become a monopoly of sorts. They still own many old Giant/Weis and other commercial properties in Broome County to this day)

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

Ghibli style AI of typical Giant next door to CVS

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 and replaced by current store just up the block

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

Hegedorn's Market: 70 Years On

Courtesy Webster on the Web (they also use Creative Commons)

 Indie grocery store Hegedorns on NY 404 (Ridge Road) in the Rochester suburb Webster will close in June due to increasing competition from Wegmans (based across town), ALDI, Tops, and Walmart (go figure). It was the prèmiere mom and pop supermarket in the region and sadly one of the last. I've never been myself, but I've known about it for a long time, and it's not unlike so many around the country, even though this is more in a bigger area as opposed to a small town, yet the loss is a blow to the community either way. Classic case, you know. Like its counterparts in CNY, WNY and beyond, they had things the big box didn't. Some shoppers drove over from nearby Wayne County, which is more rural and may have a chain here and small place there like anywhere in the industrialised world.

Hegedorns started as a franchise of IGA (originally as a dairy back in the Great Depression), but in later decades, carried ShurFine and Western Family, then Best Yet in more recent memory, like many other  independents. Several others, including a couple Big M's, will still have Best Yet in Monroe, Wayne, Genesee and Ontario Counties. As for the store, it can't just sit empty. I have a gut feeling it could become a Tops (all the closest ones are almost eight miles away, and they may be ready to expand again after last years merger with Price Chopper/Market 32). That seems like selling out, but it might work, since they bought similar properties down the NY 104/Lake Ontario corridor in the past decade.  In my usual lists, I also put in Lidl, Grocery Outlet and maybe one other, but those may not be appropriate for that type of place. Maybe Hegedorns could relocate to the city proper ten miles away, where they could use a store, since there was an article in local alt-monthly City Newspaper a couple years back about the inner city being a "food swamp" to vulnerable populations (same here in Syracuse and countless cities coast-to-coast for those of us who can't just drive somewhere else when the bus isn't as convenient, but more on that another day).  The owners still have local fast food chain Bill Grays/Tom Wahls and additional businesses to fall back on (Grays were once in CNY). Still, loyal shoppers are gutted to see Hegedorns become another textbook statistic of a changing economy and society. It just tells us to keep supporting local business that are still around or they won't be anymore. Long live Hegedorns.

UPDATE: The owners decided to delve up the property into thirds according to CBS 8, NBC 10, ABC 13, PBS 21, Fox 31 and the local paper. At least it won't lay to waste like so many others. Still, Webster is a community in its own right, not just a place outside Rochester.

Valu Home Centers: 55 Years On

Hornell store

 Valu Home Centers are a DIY and another WNY chain just as easily found in CNY (maybe WNY should get its own tag since the T-word does). They're not as large as the big box, and have the convenience of the smaller hardware stores. Even they could open up some more. Not to be confused with True Value Hardware, even though both are now part of Do It Best.

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

New Hartford - New Hartford Shopping Center, former Herb Phillipsons

Auburn - NY 5; former Real Deals

Fulton - NY 481; former kmart, River Glen Plaza

Oswego - NY 104, former Big Lots

Canastota - NY 5 & 13 and CR 25; former Family Dollar

Herkimer - former kmart

Colonie - former Barnes & Noble

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

Troy - US 4; former Price Chopper, Lansingburgh

Former locations:

Syracuse - Shop City Plaza; previously Ames; now Factory Direct Furniture Outlet

Cortland - NY 222; former Tops

Owego - NY 17C

North Hornell - Seneca St

Grocery Outlet

Typical design Eugene, OR location in the Pacific Northwest. Courtesy flickr.

 With so many people having to squeeze pennies these days, Bay Area-based Grocery Outlet could help save hundreds of dollars. They have yet to open here in New York State (shock, horror). There is an indie store in Lyncourt in the former Pfaltzgraff/Syracuse China outlet store, but while there's a number of lesser known brands and surplus goods from out-of-town/state chains, they carry too many expired (even though the "best by" date can confuse people and works differently for each kind of product) items like some cornershop, despite a recent article saying how some can still be alright while others should be binned. The chain are a different animal to the type that ALDI and PriceRite are, but nonetheless keep money in your pocket. I can mainly just come up with Upstate spots that I know, even though there are likely tonnes of them downstate (I could only snag a few on the outskirts of the region so it doesn't go too far), with Hamilton Township, NJ being even the closest one to the Tri-State right now. Off we go then.

Henrietta - Former PriceRite, SouthTown Plaza, NY 252 (plans for Hylan Dr store fell through)

Wayne, NJ - Former ShopRite

West Nyack - Former Grand Union/Stop & Shop or ShopRite, NY 59

Troy - Former Price Chopper, Lansingburgh, US 4

West Babylon - Former ShopRite, NY 109

Auburn - Former Real Deals, NY 5

Cortland - Former Dollar Bazaar, US 11 & NY 41

Albany (Delaware Area) - Former Save-A-Lot, US 9W & NY 443

Albany (Uptown) - Former Price Chopper, Westgate Shopping Center, NY 5

New Hartford - Former Herb Phillipsons

Ithaca - Former Hobby Lobby, NY 13/34/96

Fulton - Former kmart, River Glen Plaza, NY 481

Gloversville - Former Price Chopper (as of 10/1/26), N Main St

Westvale - Former P&C/Tops, Westvale Plaza, NY 5

Mattydale - Former kmart, US 11

Cicero - Former Green Planet Grocery, NY 31

deWitt - Former P&C/Tops, NY 92 (as of 25/4/25) (below)

Greene - Former Great American BK5

Sidney - Former Great American BK5

Rensselaer - Former ALDI, US 9 & 20

Poughkeepsie - Former Natures Harvest, US 9

Binghamton - Former Weis/Giant (as of 3/3/24), NY 7

Buffalo - Former Save-a-Lot, 999 Broadway

Lancaster - Former Save-a-Lot; Aurora St

Syracuse (north side) - Former Save-a-Lot/Chicago Markets/Peters; Butternut St

deWitt location in former P&C/Tops

Might be in Pennsylvania (composite)

Bye, BI-LO

Former Lancaster, SC location

 While a handful of states away down the coast from New York, something like the closure of BI-LO last year in the South is never a good sign for the industry. This is not the same chain that was sister to P&C and Quality in Northeast Pennsylvania and are still in business (Quality [not Krogers QFC] and Franklin County's Big Bear [OH Capital Region, not GA Capital Region] are the only two Penn Traffic divisions that went the way of A&P and Safeways Dominicks). This BI-LO and Tops were formerly owned by Dutch company Ahold until both spun off and became independent, BI-LO Holdings becoming Southeastern Grocers. While Tops survived bankruptcy and merged with Price Chopper, BI-LO could not this time. Many locations were sold to Food Lion, who were owned by Belgian based Delhaize who merged with their Benelux rival (now-sister chain Hannaford used to be in the mid-Atlantic themselves until 2000 when it became one, having moved down the eastern seaboard after buying Wilsons. Some stores went to Lowes [not the DIY one], likely because of state and FTC regulations). In 2023, Southeastern subsidiaries Winn-Dixie and Harveys were sold to ALDI. Some will keep their name, while some smaller ones will just become the same ALDIs you can find almost anywhere in the country or some of Europe

I've never set foot south of Virginia myself, so I just can't do this the same way as usual, so it'll be more generalised this time. Former BI-LOs could be sold to Food Lion (many have so far), Lidl (ALDIs chief rival in the old country), Lowes, Ingles, Publix, Piggly Wiggly, Harris Teeter (whose owner Kroger cancelled a merger with Albertsons), Whole Foods/amazon Fresh/Go and Kroger if not converted to former sister chains Winn-Dixie or Harveys (despite the pending sale). My Google feed told me one location was picked up by a developer, but no further information was available. At least someone got it, as it's frustrating to see a property with potential sit empty for too long, but these states probably don't have as much red tape as we do up north to say the least (you know how it is).

Smith's Hometown Market

AI of Fayetteville store with black-lettered sign

 Smith's Hometown Markets (not the Kroger-owned chain in the western part of the country that I've mentioned before, Smiths Restaurant Supply, or the pioneering Smiths IGA on NY 90 in Genoa in Cayuga County the Finger Lakes) was a small chain in Onondaga and Madison Counties that may have started by the mid-'60s and went out of business in 2001-02 one by one, going the way of the Smiths. Because very little information is available, I've had to dig a little as much of this has faded into obscurity. Comments are welcomed.

Fayetteville - NY 5 & 257 at 104 Salt Springs St; later Arquette & Associates Real Estate (former Century 21 affiliate); now Soma Healthcare; although Hometown stablemates Peters was where Kohls is today a mile or two away. Both were also IGA franchises until the '80s. Previously Red & White (which is still at some random indies). Pictured above and below. Original photo took a few weeks to find in newspaper archives.

Cazenovia - US 20 & NY 13; previously Harris (IGA?) Foodliner and Grand Union; now Kinney Pharmacy

Chittenango - NY 5 & 13; now Kinney Pharmacy

Minoa - Costello Pkwy; now Sunshine Mini Mart

Brewerton - US 11 & Bartel Rd; now Dollar General

Baldwinsville - NY 48; later Smokey Hollow Market, now vacant

East Syracuse - Kinne St & Kirkville Rd; now Dollar Tree and Subway. Previously Acme.

Manlius - NY 173; now Dollar Tree

Cicero - NY 31; now ALDI

Camillus - Milton Ave. & Hinsdale Rd. (off NY 5); Elm Hill Plaza. Previously Snyders IGA and later Araces and Burnet Market. Now various businesses, including 3fifteen and also Arquette until recently.

AI of Fayetteville store with red lettered sign

The Return of Grand Union

Former Utica store back in the '60s!

 The merger of Tops and Price Chopper is a done deal, and things will look like they always have except for a dozen stores that have to be spun off. Grand Union will resurface after a decade of dormancy. A number of rural locations around the Catskills and Adirondacks were sold to Tops, while others like Hamilton closed just as Price Chopper opened nearby (it's a small college town). C&S still own the name and will be a franchise, but will run differently than Big M, which has individual deals across Upstate New York and Northeast Pennsylvania in outlying communities such as the Finger Lakes and Twin Tiers. As for Grand Union, some people in CNY think it died out four decades ago, and closer to Albany, two, as Corinth and West Coxsackie are more on the outskirts of the area.

GU Markets, LLC are registered in New Hartford (which is why I chose there to base the article), although there is currently no Tops there (Hannaford took over most of those locations since then), yet there is a Price Chopper that became one of the first with the Market 32 name outside the Capital Region/518 area code and New England. Across Oneida County, the Rome and Sherrill stores will become Grand Union, the first since the early '90s. Even the red dot I grew up with is coming back (not the kind kitty chases!). I went to Grand Union when visiting family in Albany County, then when I was going to school down the Hudson in Dutchess County. Now a new generation will come to know a brand whose legacy dates as far as back as the Victorian age in Lackawanna Valley and celebrates its sesqui-centennial (Price Chopper and Tops have their own milestone anniversaries in 2022). Now when I go to Rome and Cortland in the new year, I'll have to try and eke out a stop to go and see an old friend (the old Cortland store became P&C in 1990), although it means the loss of Tops in these and other smaller towns, while both Tops and Price Chopper remain in counties where they can be far enough apart (although they're both within a mile or two of each other in Clay on NY 31). Meanwhile, Grand Union is just one reboot that almost no one had ever expected.

There could still be more stores opened while staying a small chain compared to the others:

Syracuse (Westvale) - former P&C/Tops, NY 5 (pictured below)

Gloversville - former Price Chopper (as of 10/1/26), N Main St

Mattydale  - former kmart, US 11

Schenectady - former store, later ALDI, NY 5 & 7

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

Troy - former Lansingburgh Price Chopper, US 4

Palatine Bridge - former Ames, NY 5

Cortlandt Manor - US 9*

West Nyack - former Stop & Shop, NY 59

Albany - former Price Chopper, Westgate Shopping Ctr, NY 5

Stamford, CT - former Stop & Shop, US 1

Binghamton (Nimmonsburg) - former store/Giant (local chain, not Ahold Delhaize one)/Weis, US 11 (would also give UFCW Local #1 an outpost in Broome County)

Binghamton (Southside East) - former Weis/Giant (as of 3/3/24), NY 7

Greene - former BK5 Great American, old NY 12?

Sidney - former BK5 Great American, NY 23

Montague, NJ - NJ 23*

Wayne, NJ - CR 504* (tri-state town had Grand Unions former HQ)

Slingerlands - NY 85*

It'd be the first in Syracuse since the early '80s. A real one used to be near here.

*former ShopRite (last three in NY Capital Region which have closed late 2023 [chain left before in late '80s, which I didn't notice then, being loyal to Grand Union!])

Amvets

Cheektowaga (Buffalo) store in Erie County in WNY

Amvets Thrift Store is unique as it supports our beloved veterans. They only have stores in Western New York, downstate and Tennessee right now, and I only went to the Rochester one so far. Here are where they can have outposts so we can help those who have fought for us.

North Syracuse - former Staples, Northern Lights; US 11 & S Bay Rd

Auburn - former Real Deals, NY 5

Syracuse (south side) - former Grants/kmart/flea market, US 11

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

Canastota - former Family Dollar, NY 5 & CR 25

Albany - former Price Chopper (part), Westgate Shopping Ctr, NY 5

Guilderland - former Rite Aid/Goodwill, US 20

deWitt - former P&C/Tops, NY 92 (as of 25/4/25)

Cortland - former flea market, Riverside Plaza, NY 13 or former Valu, NY 222

Ithaca - South Meadow Plaza, NY 13, 34 & 96

Oswego - former Gordmans/Peebles, NY 104

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

Bethlehem Township, PA - former ALDI