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Big Y Corporate Office

Brothers Paul and Gerry D’Amour bought the Y Cash Market in Chicopee, MA in 1936. Y Cash Market was at an intersection where two roads converged to form a Y.

In 1947 the D’Amour brothers opened a second Y Cash Market store. In 1952 the brothers opened a 10,000 square foot store in Chicopee, MA, near the Westover Air Base. Because the store was bigger and more modern than other supermarkets in the area, the brothers named the store “Big Y Supermarket.”

In 1960 the brothers expanded to Northampton, Massachusetts with a 30,000 square foot store, the biggest in Western Massachusetts at the time. By 1968 the company had six locations.

Big Y turned 50 in 1986; on this anniversary the chain had 21 locations and 1,600 employees.

Today Big Y has 60 locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, many of which are located in the metropolitan areas of Springfield, Worcester, and Hartford. Big Y is one of the largest independently-owned supermarket chains in New England and employs 8,500 people.

Big Y Foods

Brothers Paul and Gerry D’Amour bought the Y Cash Market in Chicopee, MA in 1936. Y Cash Market was at an intersection where two roads converged to form a Y.

In 1947 the D’Amour brothers opened a second Y Cash Market store. In 1952 the brothers opened a 10,000 square foot store in Chicopee, MA, near the Westover Air Base. Because the store was bigger and more modern than other supermarkets in the area, the brothers named the store “Big Y Supermarket.”

In 1960 the brothers expanded to Northampton, Massachusetts with a 30,000 square foot store, the biggest in Western Massachusetts at the time. By 1968 the company had six locations.

History

Big Y turned 50 in 1986; on this anniversary the chain had 21 locations and 1,600 employees.

Today Big Y has 60 locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, many of which are located in the metropolitan areas of Springfield, Worcester, and Hartford. Big Y is one of the largest independently-owned supermarket chains in New England and employs 8,500 people.

Associated Supermarkets Corporate Office

Associated Supermarkets, also known as Associated Food Stores, was founded in 1940 by Donald P. Lloyd, president of the Utah Retail Grocers Association, along with 34 other retailers.

Lloyd was concerned that small independent retailers would be adversely affected by large corporate stores and could only survive by uniting and facing the competition with their collective bargaining power.

Lloyd along with the 34 other retailers each gave $300 to build an independent and associated warehouse.

Today Associated Food Stores supplies 500 independently owned retail supermarkets and operates corporate stores under five different names: Fresh Market, Macey’s, Lin’s, Dick’s Market, and Dan’s.

Associated Food Stores has 1,400 employees and had $1.9 billion in revenue in 2011.

 

Associated Food Stores

Associated Supermarkets, also known as Associated Food Stores, was founded in 1940 by Donald P. Lloyd, president of the Utah Retail Grocers Association, along with 34 other retailers.

Lloyd was concerned that small independent retailers would be adversely affected by large corporate stores and could only survive by uniting and facing the competition with their collective bargaining power.

Lloyd along with the 34 other retailers each gave $300 to build an independent and associated warehouse.

History

Today Associated Food Stores supplies 500 independently owned retail supermarkets and operates corporate stores under five different names: Fresh Market, Macey’s, Lin’s, Dick’s Market, and Dan’s.

Associated Food Stores has 1,400 employees and had $1.9 billion in revenue in 2011.

 

Piggly Wiggly Corporate Office

Piggly Wiggly was founded by Clarence Saunders in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee. It was the first true self-service grocery store.

Piggly Wiggly Corporation secured the self-service format and issued franchises to hundreds of grocery retailers for the operation of its stores. In this self-service format, customers entered the store through a turnstile and chose merchandise while walking through the store’s 4 aisles of products.

At the company’s peak in 1932, Piggly Wiggly operated 2,660 stores with annual sales of $180 million.

Saunders lost control of Piggly Wiggly in 1922 after he lost most of his assets in a bad stock deal. The company was then divided into strategic units and sold to regional grocery chains.

The now-smaller Piggly Wiggly Corporation continued to prosper as a franchiser for hundreds of independently-owned grocery stores that are licensed to do business under the Piggly Wiggly name.

Today Piggly Wiggly has more than 600 independently-owned Piggly Wiggly stores in 17 states.

Piggly Wiggly

Piggly Wiggly was founded by Clarence Saunders in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee. It was the first true self-service grocery store.

Piggly Wiggly Corporation secured the self-service format and issued franchises to hundreds of grocery retailers for the operation of its stores. In this self-service format, customers entered the store through a turnstile and chose merchandise while walking through the store’s 4 aisles of products.

At the company’s peak in 1932, Piggly Wiggly operated 2,660 stores with annual sales of $180 million.

History

Saunders lost control of Piggly Wiggly in 1922 after he lost most of his assets in a bad stock deal. The company was then divided into strategic units and sold to regional grocery chains.

The now-smaller Piggly Wiggly Corporation continued to prosper as a franchiser for hundreds of independently-owned grocery stores that are licensed to do business under the Piggly Wiggly name.

Today Piggly Wiggly has more than 600 independently-owned Piggly Wiggly stores in 17 states.

Lowe’s Foods Corporate Office

Lowe’s Foods was founded in 1954 in Wilkesboro, North Carolina by Jim Lowe.

Lowe sold that store to J.C. Faw Expansion, who expanded the store to a chain. In 1984 the chain was sold again, this time to Merchant Distributors, Inc (MDI). In 1992, MDI was reorganized as a holding company, Alex Lee, Inc.

Alex Lee expanded Lowe’s Foods with the 1997 acquisition of Byrd’s Food Stores, Inc, subsequently turning 43 Byrd’s stores into Lowe’s stores.

In 2007 Lowe’s began to open fuel stations at their grocery stores.

In 2011 Lowe’s opened a series of stores for the budget-conscious consumer, called Just $ave.

Today Lowe’s Foods is a grocery store chain based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The company has 100 stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Lowe’s Foods is #169 on CNN Money’s Global 500, has 197, 500 employees, and had $48.815 billion in revenue in 2010.

Lowe's Foods

Lowe’s Foods was founded in 1954 in Wilkesboro, North Carolina by Jim Lowe.

Lowe sold that store to J.C. Faw Expansion, who expanded the store to a chain. In 1984 the chain was sold again, this time to Merchant Distributors, Inc (MDI). In 1992, MDI was reorganized as a holding company, Alex Lee, Inc.

Alex Lee expanded Lowe’s Foods with the 1997 acquisition of Byrd’s Food Stores, Inc, subsequently turning 43 Byrd’s stores into Lowe’s stores.

History

In 2007 Lowe’s began to open fuel stations at their grocery stores.

In 2011 Lowe’s opened a series of stores for the budget-conscious consumer, called Just $ave.

Today Lowe’s Foods is a grocery store chain based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The company has 100 stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Lowe’s Foods is #169 on CNN Money’s Global 500, has 197, 500 employees, and had $48.815 billion in revenue in 2010.

Oriental Trading Company Corporate Office

Oriental Trading Company was founded as a gift shop in Omaha, Nebraska in 1932 by Harry Watanabe. OTC was one of the United States’ first wholesale companies. The company quickly expanded to 17 shops.

During WWII there were restrictions on imports from Japan, and OTC had to shrink back to its Omaha base, buying a ceramic shop that made Kewpie dolls.

In the 1950’s OTC became a major supplier to the U.S. carnival trade. The company launched its first catalog in the 1970’s.

In 1977 Harry Watanabe’s son Terry took over the company and shifted the focus from carnivals to supplying  party goods for churches, retailers, schools, and individuals.

Amid allegations of alcohol and gambling addictions, Terry Watanabe sold his stake in the company to private equity firm Brentwood Associates in 2000.

In 2006 Carlyle Group bought 68% of the company.

In 2010 OTC filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection with $463 million in assets, $756 million in liabilities, and $485 in net sales.

In 2012 Berkshire Hathaway acquired the company for about $500 million.

Today the Oriental Trading Company offers 40,000 products to businesses, non-profit organizations, individuals, schools, churches, and teachers. OTC has 2,000 employees.

 

Oriental Trading Company

Oriental Trading Company was founded as a gift shop in Omaha, Nebraska in 1932 by Harry Watanabe. OTC was one of the United States’ first wholesale companies. The company quickly expanded to 17 shops.

During WWII there were restrictions on imports from Japan, and OTC had to shrink back to its Omaha base, buying a ceramic shop that made Kewpie dolls.

In the 1950’s OTC became a major supplier to the U.S. carnival trade. The company launched its first catalog in the 1970’s.

History

In 1977 Harry Watanabe’s son Terry took over the company and shifted the focus from carnivals to supplying  party goods for churches, retailers, schools, and individuals.

Amid allegations of alcohol and gambling addictions, Terry Watanabe sold his stake in the company to private equity firm Brentwood Associates in 2000.

In 2006 Carlyle Group bought 68% of the company.

In 2010 OTC filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection with $463 million in assets, $756 million in liabilities, and $485 in net sales.

In 2012 Berkshire Hathaway acquired the company for about $500 million.

Today the Oriental Trading Company offers 40,000 products to businesses, non-profit organizations, individuals, schools, churches, and teachers. OTC has 2,000 employees.