mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
Growing up in Florida, we had a handful of local supermarkets: Publix and Winn-Dixie were big in my town, and I always wondered who shopped at the Piggly Wiggly a few miles to the south. We even briefly had a “Florida’s Choice” (operated by Kroger), which was notable for its going-out-of-business sale, which netted my family a freezer full of Indian spices for about five bucks. (It must have taken us four years to work through those, seriously.) Anyway, the supermarket continues to be one of the few stores I physically visit, now that I shop so much online. And like all things, there’s an incredibly thorough online resource dedicated to the history of the supermarket: Groceteria.
Groceteria’s features include a list of major stores, including history, photo galleries, architectural information, and trivia — for example, here’s a list all the Alpha Beta Stores operating in 1945. In the Places section, you’ll find detailed rundowns of some major US cities’ supermarket history — this is where you’ll find a decade-by-decade history of supermarket events in Greensboro, North Carolina (where the site’s author David Gwynn lives). If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, consult the vast message board. Here are a few words from Gwynn about his interest in supermarkets:
My friend Duncan used to theorize that the price of a can of tuna could be used as the basic measure of any given city’s cost of living. He was right. You can learn an awful lot about a place by visiting its supermarkets.
Supermarkets are one of the most important and overlooked elements of American life. I’m fascinated by them, and my road trips always include visits to the local chains, from Winn-Dixie in the south to Giant in Baltimore, from Cub Foods and Rainbow in Minneapolis to Kohl’s in Wisconsin. Harris Teeter, Alpha Beta, Piggly Wiggly, and the “holy trinity” of Safeway, Kroger, and A&P: I’ve done more than my share…
See if your childhood supermarket is on the list, and read up!
(Link via Your Daily Awesome.)
Cub Foods will always be #1 from my childhood…then Jewel-Osco took over…and now it’s all about Pick N’ Save (in SE WI)
posted by Susan on 10-8-2007 at 11:03 am
Wegmans!
posted by Karen on 10-8-2007 at 11:34 am
I grew up in Alabama, and I don’t think I ever set foor in Piggly Wiggly, even though they were all over. Food World was the go-to store for us.
posted by Ian EBH on 10-8-2007 at 11:39 am
miss daisy shops at the piggly wiggly. just saying.
posted by connie on 10-8-2007 at 12:07 pm
We didn’t have ANY chain supermarkets in my town when I was a kid. But we had about a dozen local groceries. Back in the Stone Age.
posted by Miss Cellania on 10-8-2007 at 12:56 pm
My favorite grocery store from childhood barely got a mention: Hinky Dinky. Anyone else from the NE/IA area remember that store?
posted by Molly on 10-8-2007 at 1:13 pm
growing up in south/central Texas all we have now is HEB and Super Walmarts, We used to have Albertsons but they closed all there stores in the area about 7/8 years ago
posted by Lindsey on 10-8-2007 at 3:01 pm
I’m from the Texas Panhandle, and when I moved to South Central Texas (San Antonio), I was surprised to see nothing but HEB. Where I grew up, we had United, Albertsons, Kroger, and a host of other supermarkets . . . it seems HEB has the monopoly in South Texas–good thing I like it!
posted by Meagan on 10-8-2007 at 3:25 pm
My particular interest store-wise is spotting buildings that used to be Mom&Pop corner stores from the days before the chains took over. Sometimes they’ll be buried deep in old residential neighorhoods. They used to be all over when I was a kid- my favorite was Bryant’s Market in Kansas City, Kansas. Mr Bryant was a nice guy who was really tolerant of kids.I never appreciated it at the time- I’d pay big for a picture of that old store. >sniff
posted by rich on 10-8-2007 at 11:18 pm
None of my supermarkets made the list. In NE Ohio we have nothing but Giant Eagles (now that Tops Markets have closed–which sucks because they were the best grocery stores ever!) and the odd Heinen’s, Apple’s, IGA, or if you’re really lucky, Aldi’s. We used to have a Rini Rego a long long time ago (which has since turned into the aforementioned Giant Eagle) and a Stop ‘n Shop. I find it sad that there’s not much competition up here and that the only grocery store in our town continues to suck every last thin dime out of its customers.
posted by Rachel on 10-9-2007 at 12:14 pm
Food Lion’s new spin-off, Bloom, is the shiznit. It’s like a gigantic 7-11, but includes some gourmet and organic stuff. Open 24 hours, complete with self-checkouts. I shop there, Trader Joe’s, or Whole Foods. (Down with Giant and Safeway!) - Montgomery County, MD
posted by TMo on 10-9-2007 at 1:56 pm
i make a sexy time with a watermellon from a piggly wiggly
posted by jeffy McFarturd on 3-10-2008 at 7:23 am