Dunk & Bright Furniture

AI version of the original Dunk & Bright Furniture

 After a month without any new ideas, I decided to cover Dunk & Bright Furniture (O'Dunk & O'Bright during St Patricks season to reflect the founders' Irish roots). The original store on S Salina St and E Bright Ave on Syracuse's south side will be closing in the coming weeks. Many people assume the business as a whole is coming to an end, not realising that a new store has opened in the former Great Northern Mall in Clay where Sibleys, Kaufmanns and Macys had been. To boot, Dunk & Bright have gone outside CNY to the Rochester area and opened in South Town Plaza on Jefferson Road (NY 252) in Henrietta, where Burlington, kmart, Freddys, and PriceRite used to be. It's new to most people there, and they're pessimistic about another furniture store there, with Marketplace Mall down the road being closed, and brick and mortar retail in general facing decline in recent years between online dominance and the economy. It's not uncommon to fear the unfamiliar. Hometown rival Raymour & Flanigan are in WNY and have expanded across the eastern seaboard, so it can be done. Dunk & Bright might just stick to the two stores at this stage. I don't think they want to be a big chain like that.
 I've only gone to the flagship once decades ago. It seemed to take time to look at everything, being the largest furniture store in the whole state, tucked into a part of town that now doesn't have as much money. With Dunk & Bright entering their 100th year, it had opened in a more innocent time. The fire department are said to be buying some of the building. Staff and remaining stock will be moved up the new I-81 (still I-481 for now) and NY 481 to the new store, where the mall is being done up in the wake of Microns building site just a few miles away. It's a slam Dunk and the future looks Bright for one of the areas oldest local businesses. There's also outlet store A. Bright Furniture in Westvale Plaza, which had moved several blocks from Wegmans Plaza on Onondaga Blvd from the former Chase-Pitkin and Big Lots turned Goodwill. So much for Goldbergs and Besdins (one from before my time I looked up).

AI version of store's early days nearly a century ago

Shaws

Shaws in Sturbridge, MA in the autumn

JJBers from Willimantic, Connecticut, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 With Grand Unions portfolio down to a handful, their one store outside New York is in Rutland, VT. It could be next to go, and it would most likely go to Shaws so it could stay union, as I pointed out in a previous post. Across Lake Champlain is a bigger challenge, with a closed store in Warrensburg and a remaining one in Peru close to Plattsburgh, Burlington, and the border. Shaws could start to expand a little west of New England. Albertsons are no stranger to New York, having owned Save-a-Lot and Acme, still in the Tri-State, but otherwise left Upstate decades ago, while Supervalu had been here themselves as well as with Shop 'n Save in WNY and the chains acquired through the merger with Albertsons. I've gone to Jewel-Osco and Dominicks in Chicago, Star Market in Boston, and Shoppers near Washington. Here are where Shaws could go (*still Grand Union for right now):

Peru - US 9*; former Tops

Rutland, VT - US 4*; former Tops

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

Warrensburg - US 9; former Tops and Grand Union (pictured below)

Troy (Lansingburgh) - US 4; former Price Chopper

Slingerlands - NY 85; former ShopRite

AI of future Warrensburg Shaws (CoPilot)

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 Big Lots; NY 281

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

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; former Dicks; Fingerlakes Crossing or NY 5 (Grant Ave)*

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

Cortlandville - NY 281; former kmart or *

Elmira - Lake St*

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

Kingston - US 9W*

Middletown - NY 211; Walkill Plaza*

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A; former Hess's/Kaufmanns/Macys (instead of Whole Foods or Utica)

Oswego - NY 104*

Plattsburgh - NY 3*

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

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

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

Syracuse (Fairmount) - W Genesee St; part of Ashley Furniture, said to be truncated (confirmed as of 10/5/26)

Utica - NY 5; former Chicago Markets/Great American/Big Lots (instead of New Hartford)

Watertown - NY 3*

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

*former Big Lots

Mid-Hudson Memories

Gnax the red fox furry; his species are Marists mascot

 From 1997 to 2000, I lived in Dutchess County while away at school. While I won't go into the personal aspects of that too much here, it had to be done. This year would be the 25th anniversary of when I graduated from there, but a Smiths reunion is more likely now than one with my former colleagues (one person from that time knows what I mean). I even wrote to one recently, but that ship has sailed. There is an annual do with those of every vintage up to that time, but I don't know.

    As for what to put here, I finally got to go to ShopRite after only knowing it from then-UPN 9 and WB 11 (more on them on our sister blog). Grand Union provided some familiarity, yet I only went to Price Chopper rarely since that was one of many chains in town that we had back home. I discovered Stop & Shop, which was then sister to Tops, the latter bought some of the others stores that overlapped with Hannaford after the Ahold Delhaize merger. I went to Walgreens for the first time since they did not return to CNY until 2006. There was a dollar store called Just-a-Buck, which we covered years earlier. Rhino Records, which spun off of the label after it was sold to Time Warner, had locations in Poughkeepsie and New Paltz close to college campuses. After Caldor left CNY after two years' time, I had just as long before the whole chain closed. I can't recall if I ever went to Adams Fairacre Farms, the premier local chain in the Hudson Valley.  There were Poughkeepsie Galleria (Destiny USAs sister mall), South Hills Mall and Hudson Valley Mall. My stablemates and I would shop in Ulster and Dutchess Counties and had the minibus. I would take the chartered coach or railway home to visit.
    There was an indie video store across US 9 from where I was and they would sometimes have what I wanted. Even a couple delis were close by. Discovered Chinese buffet down the road. Saw Revco get absorbed by CVS and the last leg of Fays as Eckerd opened. Went to IGA and for the last time A&P. Got ice creams at Dairy Queen (not near home then) or Holy Cow in Red Hook (better off there). Only heard of G. Fox in recent years, and Filenes had been back for some time once I got to the mall. The furry fox I used for this post is in the one for G. Fox and also represents the mascot for Marist College, one of the three private schools in town, and an alum turned staff member of that place worked nights where I lived to boot. It'd be too easy to put a photo of a business or even landscape of the river itself.

   Despite the area being a bedroom community, I only got to take the MetroNorth Hudson Line twice to New York City since it wasn't that simple in those days, and it's not an everyday thing for everyone there; some not going down river for months or even years at a time. I only went once before with my family and three times this century to date, twice to see Paul McCartney, but that's for "Another Day"!
    Mid-Hudson Memories was going to be the name used for a segment on a short-lived user feature on the site for the Poughkeepsie Journal site after a rare visit in 2010 to see Yes at Mid-Hudson Civic Center (on the music blog), but I had to get on to the life I had in that day, and the feature became dated and obscure anyway. I just know I was still running riot with retail when I was in town. It has come on even more since like anywhere, despite all the stagnation and stagflation across the country these days.
    Because of my limitations, I doubt I'll ever get a hundred miles of there again. Haven't even made it to the tri-state proper since 2009, several months before halfway north to Albany, which I'm lucky to even get to once a year as it is. Just as people from my hometown or local alums who live elsewhere now can't all make it over yet once any time of year because of the costs and/or current routines. Maybe someday, I'll make it back. If I do go to events in the NYC region, I could stop along the way once I have my driving licence and own car, although I'd have to sort out the city itself (you know how it is).

Stop & Shop: 32 former stores

2014 usual store, likely in Connecticut, courtesy Mike Mozart (we love you, Mike!).

 Stop & Shop have closed a whooping thirty-two locations in the tri-state, New England and New Jersey that were considered underperforming. Others have already closed in the recent past, with a few vacant to this day, while former sister chain Tops* bought several in the Hudson Valley that overlapped with Hannaford after the Ahold Delhaize merger in the Benelux, while Weis acquired some Food Lions in DMV/Delmarva that were too close to Giant (Landover)* and other chains had in the mid-Atlantic (some stores were likely from another former Ahold division, BI-LO, which we covered a while ago). I remember seeing a Food Lion in Maryland leaving DC a couple times heading home from hols on coach trips, which would be a Weis by now. Back up north, only a handful of S&Ss have been taken over by others like Food Bazaar. Here in New York, it's more downstate, with Coram, Long Island being one that became a casualty. It's too exhausting to submit that many closing stores to Bing and Google since it's not automatic, although some locations are already marked, being in a big area.

I've only gone to Stop & Shop when I lived in Dutchess County in the mid-Hudson Valley on occasion, as well as when I last visited. They bought the newer ShopRite in Hyde Park a year after I left, and later built a new Stop & Shop across US 9 where the old ShopRite was. It wasn't right near a Hannaford, yet the Rhinebeck store up the road near the old Grand Union* was considered to be and was sold to Tops (Hannaford was across the bridge in Kingston in the old days, initially as a Shop 'n Save franchise), as was Wappinger Falls going the other way. It was a nice, big store on US 9 (south of Poughkeepsie), while Arlington (east of Poughkeepsie) was a bit smaller. Never went to Stop & Shop on either of my Boston trips since there was no time and Star Market near the Pru (sister to Shaws) was much more convenient since I was on another package bus deal (same group as the beltway stay, as well as WNY and the tri-state, but not for the public), which is much less expensive than a flight to Logan Airport.

The chain are just one of many businesses that have suffered over the past five years. To make it worse, Stop & Shop are a union shop to boot, so it'd be better to come up with another to fill the vacuum if one isn't nearby already. While a new local store would be even greater, it's more uphill to come up with that, especially in an area which you don't know personally, so I'd just have to think of chains that serve each region, whether they're still expanding or not. It's more Stop than Shop now, you could say.

Acme* (tri-state/NJ)

Market Basket (Massachusetts and Connecticut)

Big Y* (Connecticut stores)

ShopRite*/Price Rite (same as Acme)

PathMark* (see earlier post)

Whole Foods/Amazon Fresh/Amazon Go (all areas where one or the other isn't yet)

Wegmans (even though they usually only do up other peoples buildings in big cities with tight infrastructure, only open so many a year, and have recently expanded beyond the Northeast)

Tops* (just the two heading up the Hudson. Carmel is the closest store to the City [post-merger])

Thrift stores (if another supermarket is off the table, then this is a plan B)

Food Bazaar (tri-state indie with multicultural selection)

Indies/local business (missus in Maryland would love that one)

*UFCW Union Shop

Stew Leonard's

Newington, CT store (former Caldor); courtesy Mike Mozart (he's a hard act to follow!)

 I heard of Stew Leonards from Inside Edition. It is exclusively in the tri-state. They make it seem like a destination, giving Wegmans, which have few stores in the region compared to back Upstate, a run for their money. Even in the NYC area, there are some spots for Leonards to open. It would mean having to do up or even replace a competitors store into or with respectively into a barn like the one shown here, yet the Paramus, NJ one is in a plaza, so it doesn't have to look so rural. Clifton, NJ is the newest one so far. I can copy some of the Pathmark/Stop & Shop list and leave out towns with existing stores, Upstate, and the city proper (it won't really work there, of course, and too much competition to boot). If it's not a closing Stop & Shop, then I'll put that down. I just wish I could get to Stamford next October and a Leonards could open there by the time I'd be in town since I would only have so long to get around a big area with two or more events and being dependent on mass transit at home and in the metro like most of the locals. I might not have enough suggestions on New York soil, which is letting the side down. It's just easier to retrofit than to scramble in a region you rarely visit or have never even been. Turns out that Stew Leonard Jnr went to Ithaca College of all places (small town). Despite his alma maters location, he might not open past the Palisades, but he may have connections at Cornells east campus across town from IC (an alum once explained). Let's just see what he could do up near home.

Ansonia, CT - Division St

Milford, CT - US 1 & CT 162

Stamford, CT - US 1

Torrington, CT - High St near JCPenney

Carlstadt, NJ - Paterson Ave

Ansonia, CT - Division St

Edison, NJ - Inman Grove Shopping Ctr

Piscataway, NJ - Stelton Rd

Greenvale - NY 25A; Wheatley Plaza

West Haverstraw - US 202; Samsondale Plaza

Coram - NY 25 & 112

Mt Vernon - E Sandford Blvd

Hempstead - NY 102

Wayne, NJ - former ShopRite

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

West Babylon - former ShopRite; NY 109

Montague, NJ - former ShopRite; NJ 23

Cortlandt Manor - former ShopRite; US 9

Ringwood, NJ - CR 692

Poughkeepsie - US 9; former health food store

Quality Markets

Flagship Jamestown/Celeron store near Lucys old house

 Quality Markets were P&Cs sister chain in WNY and NW PA. They were originally from Jamestown, so the legendary Lucille Ball would have remembered them from growing up (although she also lived in Montana for a period). Quality were founded in 1913 and sold to Penn Traffic in 1979. They reached Buffalo when they acquired Bells in 1993, a onetime IGA franchise (some Bells became other things, and none in Niagara County became Quality). Most of the Quality chain however went to Tops in 2010, but like P&C, some fell through the cracks, mostly because of overlap with existing stores which was inevitable in the region. There was once a row in Cattaraugus County when Tops wanted to come in on their own, but if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! (Tops won out, but read on).

Now Tops unless indicated

Sheffield, PA - US 6 (borough [PA term] recently profiled in the Washington Post)

Celeron/Jamestown - now construction company near Lucille Balls childhood home (original Tops around the corner; closed store pictured)

Buffalo (Lackawanna) - 1234 Abbott Rd; previously Loblaws and Bells; now Save-a-Lot

Buffalo (Bryant) - 250 Lakewood Ave; previously Loblaws and Bells; later Latinas; now PriceRite

Buffalo (1) - 257 W Ferry St; previously Star Discount Foods, Loblaws and Bells; now Bartons Home Outlet

Buffalo (2) - 499 W Klein Rd; previously Bells, now Dash's (last local only non-regional indie chain)

Cheektowaga - 540 Dick Rd; now Crunch Fitness

Williamsville - NY 5

Erie, PA (1) - 838 E 6th St; previously Loblaws; now closed

Erie, PA (2) - 3712 W 12th St; same as above

Erie, PA (3) - US 20; previously Rudys Super Duper; now Champion Ford

Erie, PA (4) - 712 W 38th St; now Tops

Erie, PA (5) - US 20; now Giant Eagle and Valu King

Erie, PA (6) - PA 8; now vacant

Erie, PA (7) - US 20 & 2708 Legion Rd; now vacant

Erie, PA (8) - US 20; now Walmart

Erie, PA (9) - US 20; Harborcreek; now Pet Supplies Plus

Dunkirk (1) - 3955 Vineyard Dr & NY 60

Dunkirk (2) - 166 E 4th St & NY 60; now Save-a-Lot

Ellicottville - US 219

Lockport - NY 31 & 77; previously Bells (IGA and indie); now Tops

Falconer (1) - NY 394

Falconer (2) - 10 S Work St (NY 394); now CVS

Frewsburg - 20 Center St & US 62

Attica - NY 98 & Prospect St (one of the last new stores opened)

Mayville - NY 394

Olean - NY 417

Silver Creek - NY 5

Tonawanda (Kenmore NW) - NY 324 & 384; closed 2003 (Tops now around the corner, although this was several years before the sale)

Williamsville - NY 5

Cambridge Springs, PA - US 19 & PA 409; TBD

Corry, PA (1) - PA 426; now Sanders Markets

Corry, PA (2) - 100 W South St; now vacant

Corry, PA (3) - 124 W Smith St; now Snap Fitness

Kane, PA - US 6

Lakewood - NY 394; now Michaels

Warren, PA - Business US 6

Union City, PA - US 6

Westfield, PA - PA 49

Youngsville, PA - US 6

Titusville, PA - 110 S Martin St; now Giant Eagle

Waterford, PA - US 19

Meadville, PA (1) - US 6 & 19

Meadville, PA (2) - PA 27; now Walgreens

Jamestown (1) - NY 394; now Salvation Army Family Store

Jamestown (2) - NY 394; now Geer-Dunn (around the corner from Lucys museums)

Jamestown (3) - NY 430; now New Flyer of America

Jamestown (4) - NY 60; previously Loblaws; now Tops

Jamestown (5) - 214 E 3rd St; demolished decades ago; one of the earliest

Jamestown (6) - 703 W 3rd St; previously Nu-Way; now Farm Fresh

Jamestown (7) - 18 S Main St; opened 1942; long gone

Sherman - Church St; now Macks Markets

Randolph - NY 394

Hazeltine - TBD (may just be Jamestown)

Stores dating back from before WWI to the Depression may require some additional research. The WWII-era one is the oldest I could dig up. Since Lucy and I have the same birthday, I dedicate this post to her memory.

You can't spell Quality without AI!

AI image courtesy Meta Platforms, Inc.

Pathmark

Former Hackensack, NJ store on NJ 17

 Another chain with a history in the Tri-State and beyond has returned. This time, it's Pathmark. I heard of them way back from New York TV like a couple of their competitors, and they were briefly in CNY on NY 5 in deWitt in the '80s as Pathmark Super Drug; the store sold to Woolworths Rx Place later in the decade. One of Pathmarks old rivals, A&P (which also had been Upstate), bought them later, but went bankrupt and closed. While it may be too late for A&P, Pathmark was sold to a new company, but just have one store in the middle in Brooklyn so far. The chain replaced a ShopRite franchise when they were founded. Like so many others, Pathmark had undergone a financial rollercoaster (haven't we all?).

Stop & Shop are now closing numerous stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, and downstate, as well as Massachusetts and Rhode Island (those two will have to find other chains to fill the vacuum) because of declining sales. Pathmark could buy those and return to Connecticut after nearly three decades. Any other closed stores in the boroughs, Long Island and New Jersey, be it ShopRite or something else could also be acquired. Maybe even the old Price Choppers on NY 5 in Albany County so that a union chain can return to the immediate area, although I don't think the drugstore even made it up river in the old days, while it went further up the Thruway to my end, as well as a cart more recently and strangely.  I won't be listing past locations since it's tiring enough with other chains and speculative future ones, but archive.org and Groceteria should have what you're looking for (main chain only) for most areas where Pathmark had made their namesake. The new Pathmark will carry Best Yet, bringing that brand back to some of downstate after Best (Yet) Market were mostly sold to Lidl several years ago (as of 6/5/26).

Closing Stop & Shops unless indicated:

East Meadow - NY 24 & 106 (Pathmark Daily now at former Super Foodtown on 625 Merrick Ave)

Ansonia, CT - Division St

Danbury, CT - Newtown Rd, Beaverbrook

Milford, CT - US 1 & CT 162

Stamford, CT - US 1

Torrington, CT - High St near JCPenney

Carlstadt, NJ - Paterson Ave

Edison, NJ (1) - Inman Grove Shopping Ctr

Edison, NJ (2) - US 1

Jackson Township, NJ- CR 526

Piscataway, NJ - Stelton Rd

Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ - NJ 35

Ringwood, NJ - CR 692

Howell, NJ - US 9

Phillipsburg, NJ - US 22

Franklin Township, NJ - NJ 27

Poughkeepsie/Arlington - US 44 & NY 55; former ShopRite

Brooklyn - Cropsey Ave

Greenvale - NY 25A; Wheatley Plaza

West Haverstraw - US 202; Samsondale Plaza

Coram - NY 25 & 112

Mt Vernon - E Sandford Blvd

Hempstead - NY 102

Wayne, NJ - former ShopRite

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

West Babylon - former ShopRite; NY 109

Albany (Uptown) - NY 5; former Price Chopper; Westgate Shopping Center

Colonie - NY 5; former Price Chopper; Colonie Plaza

Ellenville - former ShopRite; US 209

Montague, NJ - former ShopRite; NJ 23

Cortlandt Manor - former ShopRite; US 9

Freddy's Rx

Another AI pipe dream with the wrong Freddy's logo

 Freddy's Rx were a discount pharmacy chain from Monroe County in the '80s and early '90s. They had just one location that I remember in my area. Freddy's went as far south as Florida and Virginia, so snowbirds in the former from the Flour City had a piece of home for prescriptions in those days, I suppose. Freddys were all gone by 1994, even though I go to that other chain from Rochester.

Greece - NY 104

Henrietta - NY 252 & 15, Southtown Plaza; later PriceRite (closing November 2025)

Irondequoit - NY 104

Amherst - NY 324, Sheridan Centre Plaza; later Vix Drugs (Tops spinoff); now Dollar General?

North Syracuse - US 11 & S Bay Rd, Northern Lights Plaza; previously Rite Aid?; later Party City

Miami/Ft Lauderdale area - various/TBD

Virginia - various/TBD

Freddy's somewhere in Monroe County.

Notsky shops at Freddy's. Go Bulls!

ShopRite to open in Slingerlands - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Close enough looking Tri-State location, courtesy Mike Mozart

ShopRite to open in Slingerlands - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

UPDATE: When this and four others in the Capital Region closed in Fall 2023, this was the only one not to reopen as Market 32 when Price Chopper bought them since they have one already around the corner off NY 85 & 140 (I haven't been to either since some of my relatives passed, so I don't get to that part of town anymore when I come to the area).

Former Price Chopper locations

Syracuse east side store, which is doing just fine

Here's where Price Chopper used to be (all NY unless indicated): 

Framingham, MA 

Schenectady (Sheridan Plaza) 

Watervliet*/** (NY 32; previously Fays and Eckerd, now Dollar Tree)

Albany*/** (earlier store; previously ***, including Westmere on US 20 [likely demolished by '80s])

Oneonta* (NY 7)

Albany (New Scotland Ave.; Mini Chopper only; main store now Market 32) 

Mechanicville*/*** 

Pittsfield, MA*/*** 

Glens Falls*/*** 

North Troy */**

Lansingburgh (US 4)

Green Island*/** 

Poughkeepsie (South Hills Mall) (US 9) (now ShopRite)

Shrewsbury, MA* 

Oneida (NY 5 & 46) - later Herb Phillipsons, now The Electic Chic* 

Oswego (near Fort Ontario)* (now medical building)

Saratoga Springs* (earlier store)

Saratoga Springs (Price Chopper Limited downtown; now indie store)

Northampton, MA 

Baldwinsville? 

Fulton (NY 3)* 

deWitt (former Hechinger Plaza) - NY 5; later Big Lots and Stickley Clearance Centre; now Spectrum* 

deWitt (kmart plaza; now Erie Canal Centre) - NY 5; later OfficeMax, now Dicks Sporting Goods* 

Liverpool (1)* (CR 57, Seneca Mall; later Big Lots; now Ocean State Job Lot)

West Boylston, MA 

Willowbrook 

Colonie* (original store; later Colonie Plaza; store closed when Market 32 opened in former ShopRite down NY 5 and is now Walworld International Supermarket)

Plattsburgh (US 9)* 

Scranton, PA (apart from Taylor)

Niskayuna (NY 5 & Ballstown Rd) (Mohawk Mall. Replaced by older current store at Mohawk Commons. New store at former ShopRite on NY 146 & Nott St E)

Syracuse (Western Lights)* (original store; current one at former Chappells/OptiVision)

Syracuse (South Side; NY 173)* previously Loblaws; TBD/later Carls/Fays/Dollar Tree?

Liverpool (2) (NY 31 as of 19/4/24); will become Ross, Sierra and Boot Barn (all long overdue)

Taylor, PA (as of 19/4/24)

New Hartford* (NY 5A); now atHome

Gloversville (as of 10/1/26)

Albany (Westgate, NY 5)* (closed when Market 32 opened in former ShopRite down NY 5)

Camillus (became Hills in 1982, then Ames in 1999 until chains demise in 2002; building and most of old mall and plaza demolished; Walmart Supercenter opened in 2006)

Newington, CT (US 5 & CT 15) as of 26/6/26*

*moved

**As Public Service Market

***As Central Markets

More locations TBD

Price Chopper/Market 32 vs ShopRite

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 confirmed that Price Chopper have moved 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!

UPDATE: All four Market 32s are now open as of 14/6/24.

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, Westgate Shopping Center, former Price Chopper

Colonie - NY 5 (would also have to be old Price Chopper as fake photo of old ShopRite now makes no sense)

Slingerlands - NY 85 & Vista Dr., former ShopRite

Ellenville - US 209, former ShopRite

Clifton Park - Wilton Mall, former ShopRite

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 (unless taken), even though it'd be with sister chain in same plaza

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

Cortland - NY 281; former Walmart

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

Binghamton (Nimmonsburg) - US 11; former Giant/Weis/Grand Union

Vestal - NY 434; former JoAnn Fabrics (instead of above; might be better location, and chain had left behind vacancies that may work in some other areas)

Horseheads/Fisherville/Big Flats (Twin Tiers) - CR 25 & 75; former Burlington (as of 2026 when they move to former JoAnn Fabrics), Arnot Mall

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

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

Amherst - NY 78; former Best Buy

Henrietta - former Savers

Syracuse - Destiny USA; former JCPenney, 2nd Level (even though sister store TJMaxx are already around the corner)

Liverpool - NY 31, COR Plaza; former Price Chopper; with Ross Dress for Less, Boot Barn and Five Below (confirmed for fall 2026 opening, given Micron, albeit also with TJMaxx in same place)

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 that lot (wouldn't fit anyway, and they said it's not on). If I do 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. I put most of these on the later PathMark post, since that chain spun off of a franchise decades ago.

Montague, NJ - NJ 23

Wayne, NJ - CR 504

Slingerlands - NY 85; TBA

Ellenville - US 209; becoming Tops in June 2025

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; now Market 32

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

Colonie (2) - NY 5 (pictured); now Market 32

Rotterdam - 1426 Altamont Ave; closed by late '80s; may not have been Great American; now plaza

Menands - NY 32; previously Great American; later Price Chopper; now offices

North Greenbush - US 4 & NY 43; now Market 32

Niskayuna - NY 146 & Nott St E; previously Grand Union; now Market 32

Cortlandt Manor - US 9

West Nyack - NY 59; previously Grand Union

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; demolished along with former Jamesway and restaurants and is now original 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 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. Here's where patriots had  shopped:

Bridgeport (NY 31 & 298) - only one I ever went to as such; closed by 1996 and mostly vacant since

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 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; TBD)

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 maybe we'll find more 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 and Grand Union; closed as of March 2026, even though a replacement is being sought)

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

North Utica (NY 5) - previously Chicago Markets, later Big Lots; now closed

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?; now Tops?

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) - now Jims Great American; last surviving GA store with ties to the chain (not counting any unrelated stores outside of Upstate NY [specifically west of Twin Tiers/mid-Finger Lakes] due to the generic nature of the name. Anything called Victory Market today would have nothing to do themselves with either the Norwich, Leominster, or past non-NY chains for that matter for the same reason, yet all of the confusion may have led to the other name being coined in the first place!)

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; later 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 and Grand Union; closed as of March 2026

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) - now ShopRite?

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

Catskill (US 9W) - later Grand Union?; now Tops? (small town, you know)

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

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 32s I've gone to myself to date is New Hartford (none west of Oneida County just yet) and Pine Hills (surviving original inner city Central Market), although in their backyard, I've been to Slingerlands, Guilderland (20 Mall) and Delaware Ave. (NY 443 & US 9W) long before the name was coined, the last two in Albany County. 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 (even though the Liverpool store closed). 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, with new stores opening June 2024 in Albany, Colonie, Niskayuna and North Greenbush. Slingerlands is near the existing store already.

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

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

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