11 Grocery Store Chains That No Longer Exist
Once bustling with shoppers and filled with familiar brands, these 11 grocery store chains have vanished into history, leaving behind only memories of their aisles and checkout lanes.
- Alyana Aguja
- 3 min read
After becoming household names, these 11 supermarket chains survived for decades before being killed by competition, poor management, or shifting consumer patterns. From A&P’s chain of supermarkets to Dominick’s collapse in Chicago, each supermarket made a lasting impression on the communities it served. While their signs are no longer up, their legacy still influences the way we shop for food today.
1. A&P (The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company)
Image from apcoffeetea.com
Once the largest grocery retailer in the U.S., A&P pioneered the modern supermarket concept. It dominated the market for over a century before struggling with competition from more modern chains. The company filed for bankruptcy in 2015, marking the end of an iconic brand.
2. Alpha Beta
Image from Ghosts of Retailers’ past Wiki - Fandom
Primarily operating in California and the Southwest, Alpha Beta became famous for its forward-thinking alphabetical store format. In the 1980s, it was purchased by Lucky Stores and subsequently bought out by Albertsons. By the early 1990s, Alpha Beta names vanished from storefronts.
3. National Tea Company
Image from Wisconsin Historical Society
Established in 1899, this Midwestern supermarket chain had hundreds of stores throughout the U.S. and even Canada at one point. Through a series of mergers, including being bought out by A&P, its stores were phased out or rebranded. By the 1990s, National Tea was completely gone.
4. Safeway (UK)
Image from Sky News
Not to be confused with the still-existent U.S. Safeway, the British incarnation of the chain was a big name in the UK grocery business. In 2004, Morrisons purchased Safeway, and all of the Safeway stores were rebranded or closed. The name briefly popped up in a limited fashion before vanishing forever.
5. Food Fair/Pantry Pride
Image from Yahoo
A large chain in the middle of the 20th century, Food Fair was renamed Pantry Pride in the 1970s in a bid to modernize. It was beset by financial difficulties and attempted to take over Revlon unsuccessfully. By the late 1980s, the chain had folded.
6. Grand Union
Image from Wikipedia
Established in the 1870s, Grand Union once had more than 200 stores throughout the Northeast. However, mismanagement and competition caused numerous bankruptcies, and the final stores closed or were sold off by the early 2000s. Price Chopper and Stop & Shop acquired some locations.
7. Delchamps
Image from Frank Hardy Made My Photographs Two
Regional staple along the Gulf Coast, Delchamps enjoyed a reputation for good service and assortment. In 1997, the chain was acquired by Winn-Dixie and gradually retired. All of Delchamps’ stores were rebranded or closed down by the early 2000s.
8. Bruno’s
Image from Grocery.com
After once being a dominant Alabama and regional grocery chain, Bruno’s was family-owned and known for its fresh food offerings. It was in financial difficulty during the late 1990s and changed hands several times before ultimately failing. By 2012, its final stores had been converted or closed.
9. Eagle Food Centers
Image from Grocery.com
Eagle Food Centers was a local favorite in Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana. It thrived between the 1930s and 1990s. However, it went bankrupt due to competition from larger chains such as Walmart and Kroger. The remaining stores vanished by the early 2000s.
10. Dominick’s
Image from Grocery.com
Chicago’s favorite Dominick’s had a long presence but faltered after Safeway bought it in 1998. Customers hated the decisions made during Safeway’s ownership, and the chain gradually fell apart. Safeway closed down all the last of Dominick’s stores in 2013.
11. Kash n’ Karry
Image from Supermarket News
A Florida chain, Kash n’ Karry was once a destination for frugal consumers. After being purchased by Food Lion, it was ultimately renamed Sweetbay Supermarket. The final Kash n’ Karry sign was removed in the mid-2000s.