Defunct restaurant chains and retailers

[SP Cook]

Belk:  Belk is very much still alive, and is a major TV sponsor of the SEC and its little brother the ACC, as well as Charlotte's bowl game.  It has never ventured out of the southeast.

As to the hyphenated names, the story is complex.  Esentually, until the early 90s, stores were 100% owned by Belk and called that.  And then there were stores that were joint ventures with a local and were * - Belk or Belk - *.  Some locations in Virginia and West Virginia were Leggett's, also a partnership.  In the 90s Belk bought out all its partners and everything became just Belk.

[cpzilliacus]

Belk:  Belk is very much still alive, and is a major TV sponsor of the SEC and its little brother the ACC, as well as Charlotte's bowl game.  It has never ventured out of the southeast.

The northernmost Belk's I have seen is Winchester, Virginia (apparently there's also one in Morgantown, W.Va. which is probably a little bit more northerly).

[sparker]

Anyone remember the 800-pound gorilla of retail audio in the '70's and early '80's -- Pacific Stereo?  Put many a mom-&-pop hi-fi retailer out of business with hyper-aggressive sales techniques (underpinned by major manufacturers' "spiffs"[incentives] that included trips to Maui, mfr's reps' parties at local "gentlemen's clubs", and the always reliable cash under the table).  With some regret mixed with nostalgia, I was one of those manufacturers' representatives (for a now-defunct Southern California manufacturer of amplifiers & assorted other goodies) in the early/mid '70's, and saw the rise & fall of a number of West Coast audio chains (University Stereo and Henry Radio in greater L.A., Cal Hi-Fi and the "other white meat" SF-based chain, Cal Stereo (everyone got the two confused, as they tended to address the same market base).  The one or two-outlet stores outlasted almost everyone else, as Pacific pulled back to a few of their larger outlets by '82-'83 and was gone within four years.  Right now, what's left of the audio market is polarized into two segments:  the home-theater purveyors, who include the "big box" stores, including Costco and Best Buy, along with somewhat higher-end independents who make their living doing custom home installations; the second segment is what's known as "high-end" or "specialty" audio (still mostly 2-channel), who cater to more audiophile tastes (and budgets).  Here, analog & digital exist side by side, particularly for those who can afford the requisite equipment.  My home base of San Jose (and environs) has several of each; most audio sales occur in the larger metro regions (like all successful specialty businesses, they site themselves where the most likely buyers are!). 

But the audio industry heydays of the '70's and '80's are unlikely to be repeated; the market presently is too diffused (and, sadly, largely disinterested).  A 2M+ area like the South Bay can support maybe a half-dozen independent retailers and a few chain outlets, but nothing more than that.  With its overhead and overbearing sales force, Pacific would be out of business within a couple of years in today's marketplace.       

[bing101]

https://patch.com/connecticut/ridgefield/rue21-announces-several-store-closings-connecticut

Update Rue 21 to close stores in Connecticut.

[bing101]

http://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/the-scene/Retail-Stores-Taking-Hits-Hundreds-of-Locations-Close-419089074.html

Update on stores closing in the Washington D.C. area.

[bing101]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnLwsVrgrP4&app=desktop

[roadman65]

Jamesway was a name I have not heard in a long time.  They used to have their distribution center in Cranbury, NJ overlooking the NJ Turnpike somewhere between Exit 8 and 8A.

Zayres is another I have not heard of in decades as well.  Cannot remember if they were here in FL or in NJ when I lived there several years ago.

Walbaums grocery store in NYC area, I believe consolidated before I left NJ in 90. 

Adios A & P and Pathmark, of course.  Also Grand Union is history.  Those were the biggies in NJ along with ShopRite who is still holding on and has a distribution center on approach to EWR runways 4L & 4R in Elizabeth, NJ.

[inkyatari]

Zayres is another I have not heard of in decades as well.  Cannot remember if they were here in FL or in NJ when I lived there several years ago.

Zayre is still technically around. The company, if I'm remembering the chain of events correctly, still owns Marshall's and TJ Maxx, even though Zayre itself is long gone.

I could be wrong on this, but its time to clock out for lunch.

[kkt]

Anyone remember the 800-pound gorilla of retail audio in the '70's and early '80's -- Pacific Stereo?       

Yes, I bought my first set of speakers from them around 1980.  Big 3-ways, performed well and survived many moves, finally got rid of them in 2015.  From Pacific Stereo you could get a good deal, but you had to do the research yourself; all you'd find out from the salespeople is which models had the best incentives this month.

[spooky]

Zayres is another I have not heard of in decades as well.  Cannot remember if they were here in FL or in NJ when I lived there several years ago.

Zayre is still technically around. The company, if I'm remembering the chain of events correctly, still owns Marshall's and TJ Maxx, even though Zayre itself is long gone.

I could be wrong on this, but its time to clock out for lunch.

Correct. The company sold the Zayre chain to Ames, and restructured itself as TJX, parent company to TJ Maxx. They later added HomeGoods stores and bought the Marshalls chain. They also started BJs Wholesale Clubs, but sold that chain around the same time they offloaded Zayres.

[inkyatari]

Zayres is another I have not heard of in decades as well.  Cannot remember if they were here in FL or in NJ when I lived there several years ago.

Zayre is still technically around. The company, if I'm remembering the chain of events correctly, still owns Marshall's and TJ Maxx, even though Zayre itself is long gone.

I could be wrong on this, but its time to clock out for lunch.

Correct. The company sold the Zayre chain to Ames, and restructured itself as TJX, parent company to TJ Maxx. They later added HomeGoods stores and bought the Marshalls chain. They also started BJs Wholesale Clubs, but sold that chain around the same time they offloaded Zayres.

It's a shame, as I have fond memories of Zayre as a kid.

[roadman65]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?   If I remember correctly they used to be own by the owner of Bradlees, who went under in 1993 about the time Caldor went out.  My uncle said the Target and Walmart expansion into NJ and NY killed them both.

Anyway, last time there in 12, I saw some Stop and Shops along Route 36 in Monmouth County, so I am wondering if they came back as another company or still the same company but survived somehow.

[jwolfer]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?   If I remember correctly they used to be own by the owner of Bradlees, who went under in 1993 about the time Caldor went out.  My uncle said the Target and Walmart expansion into NJ and NY killed them both.

Anyway, last time there in 12, I saw some Stop and Shops along Route 36 in Monmouth County, so I am wondering if they came back as another company or still the same company but survived somehow.

I think stop and shop expanded into NJ in the 1970s but pulled back to New England... And then took over Grand union stores in the 1990s

LGMS428

[briantroutman]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?

It's a successor to the same company, but it's my understanding that Stop & Shop completely pulled out of New Jersey under its original ownership, so any stores in the Garden State today were opened as part of a re-entry effort by subsequent owners.

Stop & Shop changed hands a few times before ending up with its present owner, Ahold, the Dutch company that also owns Giant (Giant Carlisle and Giant Landover)–and this common ownership is why they share the multicolored "fruit wedge"  logo.

[Takumi]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?

It's a successor to the same company, but it's my understanding that Stop & Shop completely pulled out of New Jersey under its original ownership, so any stores in the Garden State today were opened as part of a re-entry effort by subsequent owners.

Stop & Shop changed hands a few times before ending up with its present owner, Ahold, the Dutch company that also owns Giant (Giant Carlisle and Giant Landover)–and this common ownership is why they share the multicolored "fruit wedge"  logo.

Recently, Ahold and Delhaize (parent of Food Lion) merged, with lots of store sales/closures in areas where both have lots of stores. In Richmond, all the Martin's (Giant, forgot which one) are closing or have closed, with about half of them eventually being converted to Publix.

[jp the roadgeek]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?

It's a successor to the same company, but it's my understanding that Stop & Shop completely pulled out of New Jersey under its original ownership, so any stores in the Garden State today were opened as part of a re-entry effort by subsequent owners.

Stop & Shop changed hands a few times before ending up with its present owner, Ahold, the Dutch company that also owns Giant (Giant Carlisle and Giant Landover)–and this common ownership is why they share the multicolored "fruit wedge"  logo.

Recently, Ahold and Delhaize (parent of Food Lion) merged, with lots of store sales/closures in areas where both have lots of stores. In Richmond, all the Martin's (Giant, forgot which one) are closing or have closed, with about half of them eventually being converted to Publix.

And this should merger should become interesting in parts of MA and NY state, where there is an overlap of Ahold owned Stop & Shop and Delhaize owned Hannaford locations, some even in the same town.  Stop & Shop seems to dominate most of Southern New England and Metro New York, while Hannaford is more of an upstate NY/northern New England store. Will both names still exist or will one overtake the other?  In the case of duplicates,  might Shop Rite consider expanding into the Capital District and MA, Price Chopper expanding farther east in MA, or Albertsons or Big Y into the Capital District as Acme or Shaws?

[cl94]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?

It's a successor to the same company, but it's my understanding that Stop & Shop completely pulled out of New Jersey under its original ownership, so any stores in the Garden State today were opened as part of a re-entry effort by subsequent owners.

Stop & Shop changed hands a few times before ending up with its present owner, Ahold, the Dutch company that also owns Giant (Giant Carlisle and Giant Landover)–and this common ownership is why they share the multicolored "fruit wedge"  logo.

Recently, Ahold and Delhaize (parent of Food Lion) merged, with lots of store sales/closures in areas where both have lots of stores. In Richmond, all the Martin's (Giant, forgot which one) are closing or have closed, with about half of them eventually being converted to Publix.

And this should merger should become interesting in parts of MA and NY state, where there is an overlap of Ahold owned Stop & Shop and Delhaize owned Hannaford locations, some even in the same town.  Stop & Shop seems to dominate most of Southern New England and Metro New York, while Hannaford is more of an upstate NY/northern New England store. Will both names still exist or will one overtake the other?  In the case of duplicates,  might Shop Rite consider expanding into the Capital District and MA, Price Chopper expanding farther east in MA, or Albertsons or Big Y into the Capital District as Acme or Shaws?

ShopRite already has a Capital District presence. They returned to the area almost 10 years ago and have four current locations in the immediate Albany area plus one under construction and another planned, in addition to a store in Hudson.

That being said, Ahold Delhaize has already sold off the overlapping stores in the Hudson Valley to Acme and Tops. Tops is using this to expand southeast, while Acme has used these purchases, along with the purchase of old Pathmark/A&P locations, to expand north. At this point, the dividing line in NY is roughly I-84, with Stop and Shop territory jutting up to Poughkeepsie east of the Hudson. Two Hannafords remain in Stop and Shop territory (New Windsor and Wappingers Falls), while the Rhinebeck Stop and Shop was sold to Tops. The few Hannafords in Stop and Shop's Massachusetts territory have closed. As of now, the Ahold and Delhaize brands are still operating separately with no immediate plans to combine one or the other. Fierce brand loyalty will probably keep it that way.

[TravelingBethelite]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?

It's a successor to the same company, but it's my understanding that Stop & Shop completely pulled out of New Jersey under its original ownership, so any stores in the Garden State today were opened as part of a re-entry effort by subsequent owners.

Stop & Shop changed hands a few times before ending up with its present owner, Ahold, the Dutch company that also owns Giant (Giant Carlisle and Giant Landover)–and this common ownership is why they share the multicolored "fruit wedge"  logo.

Recently, Ahold and Delhaize (parent of Food Lion) merged, with lots of store sales/closures in areas where both have lots of stores. In Richmond, all the Martin's (Giant, forgot which one) are closing or have closed, with about half of them eventually being converted to Publix.

A couple years ago, I heard that Food Lion wasn't doing so well. Is that still the case, or are they doing better now? 

[roadman65]

Great Eastern was a retail store in Northern New Jersey.  When they closed, Valley Fair  in Irvington on Chancellor Avenue at I-78 decided to expand and  take over a few of the closed stores of Great Eastern.  However, it did not make out and all but their original store closed.

Hills Supermarket, a precursor to Sams and Costco, sold wholesale food items in bulk quantity were in the NYC area.

[Takumi]

Is NJ's Stop and Shop now the same company that operated in the 70s?

It’s a successor to the same company, but it’s my understanding that Stop & Shop completely pulled out of New Jersey under its original ownership, so any stores in the Garden State today were opened as part of a re-entry effort by subsequent owners.

Stop & Shop changed hands a few times before ending up with its present owner, Ahold, the Dutch company that also owns Giant (Giant Carlisle and Giant Landover)—and this common ownership is why they share the multicolored “fruit wedge” logo.

Recently, Ahold and Delhaize (parent of Food Lion) merged, with lots of store sales/closures in areas where both have lots of stores. In Richmond, all the Martin's (Giant, forgot which one) are closing or have closed, with about half of them eventually being converted to Publix.

A couple years ago, I heard that Food Lion wasn't doing so well. Is that still the case, or are they doing better now? 

I'm not really sure. With the Ahold Delhaize merger, a lot of the stores that were sold off to other companies were Food Lions instead of Giant/Martin's. None of the Richmond stores have closed in recent years (to my knowledge), but with the entry of Aldi and Wegmans, and the upcoming entries of Lidl and Publix, to the market, it's going to be very crowded. Even more so if the other Martin's stores find buyers.

[Tonytone]

Anyone remember Albertsons? Rooms to go? and birdines. (macys) 

[kkt]

Albertson's the grocery store chain that's now part of Safeway, at least in ownership?  That was recent, like within the last couple of years.

[thenetwork]

Albertson's the grocery store chain that's now part of Safeway, at least in ownership?  That was recent, like within the last couple of years.

I thought it was Albertson's who bought out Safeway.  In my neck of the woods, We had City Market (Kroger), Safeway and Albertson's.  Post-merger, the Albertson's were either converted to Safeways or closed (due to being close to another Safeway). Then they did a full remodel of the Safeway stores (the original Safeways in my area remodeled only a couple of years ago but they did it again). 

My only gripe with the "new" Safeways is that now, for the 2ND TIME, they took out the self-serve checkouts.  Problem is, when it's real slow, they only have 2-3 checkouts open, and you're lucky if one of them is an express lane!

[cl94]

Albertson's bought out Safeway 3 years ago.

My only gripe with the "new" Safeways is that now, for the 2ND TIME, they took out the self-serve checkouts.  Problem is, when it's real slow, they only have 2-3 checkouts open, and you're lucky if one of them is an express lane!

My biggest problem with self checkouts is the people who don't know how to scan things that insist on using them. There are times I have scanned 15 items and paid in less time than it took somebody else to buy 3 items. That being said, I started shopping at Target a lot more once they put in self checkouts as the ones in these parts have slow cashiers. I can scan faster than a lot of cashiers, but Target seems to hire people that prefer to socialize instead of scanning.

None of the open ShopRites near me have self checkouts, but they do have a setup that allows the customer to bag. Really speeds things up if someone isn't too lazy to bag a few things.

[bing101]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/04/21/list-of-bebe-stores--closing/100737254/


Update Bebe stores to close soon