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Big M

Posted: 02 Dec 2013 21:54
by Ampersand
I know very little about this chain other than the fact that they were the supermarket in my hometown that everyone avoided. The average Big M is like taking a trip back in time to the 70s just dank and depressing. It seems to follow the Grand Union business plan (open in place where there is no competition then overcharge). Does anybody know anything about this chain of supermarkets?

Re: Big M

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 14:14
by GreatAmericanBagBoy
Big M (at one time marketed as Midstate Markets as well) was a franchised outfit supplied by Penn Traffic out of Syracuse, which ran the now-defunct P&C chains. By and large most Big M's are in out of the way villages and hamlets in the rural areas. They were spread throughout the usual Penn Traffic area of Central NY and struggled with low volume, low margins, and high expenses.

Those of us old enough to remember when every small village had at least one actual grocery store that served real meat and produce would do almost anything to return to that era rather than the bright and grotesque Dollar Generals most every town now has which lacks meat and produce.

Anyway, the Big M's were essentially independent mom and pop outfits branded under the Big M name.

Re: Big M

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 17:27
by maynesG
Hi , I checked their web site and they are still around in upstate NY and in Pennsylvania. In small towns. They seem to have at least two former Great American locations. Their Ad seems to be very competitive. I do not know who supplies them.

Re: Big M

Posted: 10 Dec 2013 19:02
by BillyGr
maynesG wrote:Hi , I checked their web site and they are still around in upstate NY and in Pennsylvania. In small towns. They seem to have at least two former Great American locations. Their Ad seems to be very competitive. I do not know who supplies them.
I wouldn't be surprised if at least one or two are former P&C (or other brands they had) stores that either closed prior to the Tops merger or that Tops didn't want to operate themselves.

In the ad for this week, I see Best Yet brands, which (I think) are still part of C&S Wholesalers, so that might be the supplier. The ad setup online, however, looks similar to Tops, so maybe they inherited those arrangements with the P&C purchase? Wasn't P&C being supplied by C&S anyhow towards the end?