Tops name to return to Syracuse and beyond

Looks like the Tops name will replace those of P&C, Quality, and BiLo/Riverside after all, according to the Watertown Daily Times, which reported on three stores in the North Country specifically being spared from giving pink slips to employees and displacing shoppers, which was the case with a dozen stores between four states.
Tops in my area was '86ed in '86 for any given reason, being downsizing, or too much competition. Then C-store division Wilson Farms would be their foothold in most of the 315 area code east and northeast of the Finger Lakes Region for another two decades before they too broke away with the help of Wall Street and Madison Avenue. Tops have come full circle.
Renovations and façade changes may be underway in the coming weeks, along with the obligatory grand opening celebrations. Let's say right now, it's one long soft opening! A hotel in Miami didn't have their grand re-opening until seven months time after changing hands, but that's another story!
I'm still waiting to see if the Wild Card will go the way of the P&C Plus, Peter's Preferred Customer and Grand Union Grand Savings cards. I hope Tops can encourage all the doubting Thomases and Wild Card customers alike to sign up for the Bonuscard. I collect these loyalty cards from around this side of the Mississippi, so I was ready to go.
Most locations still have to pass muster with the FTC ministry, which should be with flying colours. The company have analysed and evaluated all the stores they took on. I think we're ready for the next arc of the transition.
Even though the old names have history as I said before, in recent years, the former Penn Traffic chains have been slated in recent years for not being in league with other supermarkets in many respects. Others may be sad to say goodbye to the old guard. Either way, nobody's perfect, but I think the future looks bright for anyone involved with Tops, be it a consumer or employee.

Commander and Topco brands

Early Commander logos

These were brands sold at P&C, Quality, Big Bear, BiLo/Riverside, Big M, Neighborhood (later selling ShurFine), and Hometown Markets.

Commander Foods/Penn Traffic (all retired by 1994 except + 2008):

Exel
Party Club
Sunny Square
Golden Acres
Country Manor
Bonny Brook
Penny Curtiss (the last one to go)+

Topco:

Mega*
World Classics (later a specialty premium brand)*
Valu-Time*
Full Circle*
ShurFine/Western Family*
Food Club
Top Crest*
Pet Care (formerly Paws*)
Top Care (sold at Wegmans, Tops, Grand Union, some indies, and Price Chopper!)
Clear Value (at Tops and Price Chopper)*
Domestix*

That's Smart

Simply Done
Electrix*
EasyClix*

*retired brands

Hometown Markets

Logo done by me from memory. No AI yet.

Hometown Markets were a co-op of independent supermarkets in Central New York from the early-'80s and '90s that teamed up against the big boys, even though they were clients of Penn Traffics former wholesale division, which also serviced Big M, Neighborhood Markets, and other indies (much of these now use C&S Wholesale), so they would have many of the same items, including store brands from PT's Commander Foods division until it was replaced by Chicago-based Topco in 1993. Here's a list of all the stores in the group (Hometown name now used by current P&C Fresh as a legal entity):

Peter's - last one to close until Nojaims; sold to P&C in late 2004 (see earlier post)*
William's - was once the largest indie in Upstate NY, now lost to the ages (the farm stand survives on NY 31 in Cicero Center, and Marios Italian Bakery up N Main St/Plank Rd/Brewerton Rd in North Syracuse is owned by a longtime former employee), US 11 & W Taft Rd. Left partnership when close competitor Sweetheart across the road joined. Williams sold to Peters in 1996, much to the chagrin of the community. Old store demolished by 1999 and replaced by current plaza.
Arace's - Milton Ave & Hillsdale Rd, Elm Hill Plaza, Camillus. Later Burnet, previously Snyders. Now various businesses including 3fifteen.
Sweetheart Market - another North Syracuse landmark; sign survives at Sweetheart Corners; later Rite Aid (CVS/Fays/early Eckerd were next door in old building later on), US 11 & W Taft Rd. Exited group when Peters moved in a block away, which was the beginning of the end of the whole partnership.
Nojaim Bros. - the final survivor; second store in Marcellus now Stewarts Shops as of Spring 2024, NY 174; original Syracuse west side store later Bradys Market, now closed*
Burnet - previously Big M in Eastwood (later Discount Natural Foods and demolished for Brooklyn Pickle expansion); short-lived in Camillus in former Snyders/Araces.
Smith's - had been in Chittenango, Cazenovia, Fayetteville, Minoa, Manlius, Brewerton, and East Syracuse (not to be confused with Kroger-owned chain primarily in the Southwest and Mountain West); see later post*
Snyder's - formerly in Marcellus and Camillus (lost to obscurity; dug out of newspaper archives)*

*former IGA franchise. Other stores TBD (even though I covered that chain).

Cart from Sweetheart Market on Burnet Ave

Thrift stores

Forgot where is this.

A lot of us have seen these if not shopped there. Thrift stores, or charity shops (UK term). In the States, the bulk of them are run by the Salvation Army, and in the UK, Oxfam rule the roost. Goodwill have also cornered the market, but I've only gone in Albany, NY. In my area, the Rescue Mission in Syracuse and Binghamton have Thrifty Shopper. We used to have Volunteers of America in Auburn. Others are indies, run by churches, hospitals, care homes, and non-profit organisations. Some are even for-profit, but I haven't seen any in my state.
One can find clothes, records, videos, electronics, books, toys, furniture, appliances, drinking glasses, costume jewellery, and other odds and ends at rock-bottom prices. You can donate items as well. Most places, you have to have someone look at them first, especially if you want a receipt for an itemised tax write-off (laws may vary by state and country), or if there are restrictions on what's accepted (TVs are a big one because of DTV making older sets obsolete). If something doesn't sell, it could go in the free bin or the dust bin! The revenue after costs and payroll is supposed to help those in need if it's philanthropic. Also, inventory is usually sold as-is and may not be as varied and desirable as when it was brand-new and sold at a conventional retail outlet. With the recession, families are turning to charity shops for everyday items on a budget. The Rescue Mission also has clothing giveaways for the needy.
I think because these op shops aren't about the bottom line, it isn't directly part of the economy, even though because of it, these stores are more relevant than before. Also, those who must squeeze pennies, as well as those who are into vintage fashion, will keep these places around a long time.

Virgin Cola Wanted

For a change of routine, here's a post on a product rather than a chain, saved from VidiNow before they changed hosts:

Those of you in the UK and certain other countries, I could use your help on this. I have been wanting to get diet Virgin Cola (or Virgin Cola Light on some of the continent) for some time now. A couple of e-tailers who specialise in UK goods that can be shipped to the States I've heard about didn't have it and were unable to stock it, yet one of them could have Pepsi and Coke from the UK sent to North America, which isn't that necessary, while Virgin Cola remains the Robbie Williams of soft drinks! Twice, it failed to catch fire in the shops. Even own brands sold more than Virgin! Maybe I'll buy import diet Pepsi or diet Coke in future just to try it (my Canadian friends, I did buy your editions of these when I stopped by, as well as A&W and Diet RC last year!). I'm sure it's made differently than at the bottlers across town from me! There might be a shop in the Southwest US that could help me, but I have to find them first!

It's human nature to want what you cannot have, innit? If I could just give this a go at least once, I'll be satisfied. If I win the lottery, I could go on holiday in the UK and then I could pick it up along with house brands at Tesco or ASDA!

So if your country has Virgin Cola, and you're willing to post it, do send me a message, and we'll work something out, won't we? I'll pay, of course, but we'd have to figure out the currency conversion, P&H, and if it'll manoeuvre through Customs (it can be checked off as 'gift' because I couldn't sell it anyway if I wanted to). A one or two litre bottle would suffice. Cans might be too heavy or harder to ship.

To think I'd go out of my way for soda! This is no mere soda!

P&C, Quality, and BiLo/Riverside: Here to stay

According to Store Front, it looks like the former Penn Traffic brands aren't going the way of Peter's, William's, and Price Chopper New Zealand. It appears that P&C, Quality, and BiLo/Riverside will remain in use for the time being. Also, the Wild Card loyalty programme will also continue to be accepted at these stores. However, Tops' own Bonuscard (still used by current Ahold US stores) might not be taken at all of the newbies (the Skaneateles store took my Bonuscard, but I used my Wild Card at the Skytop store the next day), as it uses a different algorithm, and is not interchangeable with the Wild Card. Not everyone thinks to have both, even if they were in the same area beforehand (such as Bath, Buffalo, and Erie). Even three BiLos in Pennsylvania that now are called Tops yet remain on the BiLo site still use the Wild Card and the same ad as the other new stores (see earlier post). However, it is still early days and the stores are still being evaluated and more announcements are being made as they come.
P&C, Quality, and BiLo/Riverside each have a long history in their respective areas, and it'd be hard to shut the door on it all. These have all changed hands in the past, especially P&C, but it's a different world now. Increasing competition from world-class Wegmans and un-union Walmart, as well as the economy have changed the rules. We'll have to see how this will pan out in the long term. I can accept having the different names as conglomerates Safeway, A&P, and Kroger, who have larger market spans, have it this way as well.

Former Peter's locations

I took this myself and made it as close as possible from memory.

No free online photo exists of the Skytop Peter's as that, so I had to make do.

My one-time employer Peter's Groceries were a fixture in my area from 1944 until late 2004. After three generations and administration, they became another statistic of a local business being lost to the ages. Here's where they used to be:

501 Midland Ave., Syracuses south side (original store)
Skytop Plaza, Syracuse (pictured above; later P&C; latter-day flagship now a Tops)
Shop City Plaza, Syracuse (formerly Green Hills, co-existed in plaza with Grand Union? and was bought out by P&C, and now Tops as well) (pictured below)
5399 N. Burdick Street, Fayetteville (now a Kohls) (pictured below)
NY 5 & 92, Lyndon (deWitt/Fayetteville)
500 Butternut Square, Syracuses north side (previously Chicago Markets; later Save-a-Lot; now closed)
US 11, North Syracuse (previously Williams [initially in that old store, but later replaced with current building], later Maines; now Planet Fitness, Thrifty Shopper, off-licence, and Corsos Cookies)

US 11, Syracuse (north side), now cornershop

N Salina St; later Barbieris Diner, now vacant (moved from up the street years earlier)

NY 290 (Eastwood) - Previously Loblaws; later Foodland, Carls Drugs, Fays Drugs, Eckerd and Rite Aid; now Family Dollar (pictured below).

Bridge St, East Syracuse/deWitt; Westons Plaza, around where Home Depot and Dunn Tire are now (pictured below)

Peter's had been part of the Hometown Markets partnership after they and other indies ended their franchise agreements with IGA (more in a later post). Many longtime employees stayed on through different vintages and changing of hands. Personally, I was better at shopping there than working there, to cut a long story short. The pressure was on, and the Peter family were Peter-ed out! Still many older townies remember it, especially as an IGA franchise! Still, it's good to remember a simpler time! The liquor stores at Skytop and North Syracuse remain in business.

Shop City store with Fayetteville style sign (2025).

Eastwood store in 1973 with Loblaws labelscar.

AI of Fayetteville store in the early '80s (post-IGA).

AI of deWitt store in the early '80s (late IGA period).