A&P's closures and market withdrawals of the late 1970s and early 1980s
Posted: 23 Sep 2016 19:56
I came upon this page when I was browsing West Virginia newspaper archives from December 1981, and found it interesting. This was the end of A&P's presence there; at least in the southern part of the state:
I do know off-hand that A&P exited most (all?) of Wisconsin in 1979 and Chicago in 1981.
But how many markets did A&P leave in the late 1970s and early 1980s? Was there much rhyme or reason to the divestiture? At what point did the bleeding stop, and A&P stabilize its trade area (for a few years, anyway) once more? Was there a specific catalyst for the meltdown, or was it just A&P's perpetual financial problems combined with a shaky economy?
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For those who are curious, this is the fate of the five A&P store locations mentioned in the ad:
1732 Harper Rd., Beckley, WV: A Kroger store now stands on the site. I'm unclear whether or not it's the original building; it might be, but it looks too big and too modern for that.
623 S. Oakwood Rd., Beckley, WV: Looks to be a late 1940s or very early 1950s store (the earliest reference to it I found was from 1950); now houses an antiques shop.
U.S. 21 Pass Plaza (or ByPass Plaza), Beckley, WV: Opened August 1969 in a shopping center also originally anchored by a Hills department store; now evidently houses a Dollar Tree store. (Incidentally, U.S. 21 was decommissioned north of Virginia in 1974, making the plaza name obsolete by the time this was printed.)
3 Church St., Oak Hill, WV: Small Centennial-style store; still selling groceries today as a Grants Supermarket.
1117 Stafford Dr., Princeton, WV: Centennial-style store that opened September 23, 1969; still selling groceries today as a Save-a-Lot. Previously discussed here.
I've been under the impression that A&P's 1972-75 closures were a piecemeal weeding of obsolete and underperforming stores, and it wasn't until the tail end of the decade that the chain began pulling out of entire parts of the east and midwest.I do know off-hand that A&P exited most (all?) of Wisconsin in 1979 and Chicago in 1981.
But how many markets did A&P leave in the late 1970s and early 1980s? Was there much rhyme or reason to the divestiture? At what point did the bleeding stop, and A&P stabilize its trade area (for a few years, anyway) once more? Was there a specific catalyst for the meltdown, or was it just A&P's perpetual financial problems combined with a shaky economy?
---
For those who are curious, this is the fate of the five A&P store locations mentioned in the ad:
1732 Harper Rd., Beckley, WV: A Kroger store now stands on the site. I'm unclear whether or not it's the original building; it might be, but it looks too big and too modern for that.
623 S. Oakwood Rd., Beckley, WV: Looks to be a late 1940s or very early 1950s store (the earliest reference to it I found was from 1950); now houses an antiques shop.
U.S. 21 Pass Plaza (or ByPass Plaza), Beckley, WV: Opened August 1969 in a shopping center also originally anchored by a Hills department store; now evidently houses a Dollar Tree store. (Incidentally, U.S. 21 was decommissioned north of Virginia in 1974, making the plaza name obsolete by the time this was printed.)
3 Church St., Oak Hill, WV: Small Centennial-style store; still selling groceries today as a Grants Supermarket.
1117 Stafford Dr., Princeton, WV: Centennial-style store that opened September 23, 1969; still selling groceries today as a Save-a-Lot. Previously discussed here.