Whatever Happened To The A&P Grocery Chain?

Grocery chains and stores are always more complicated than we give them credit for. From unique standalone stores, like Ohio's themed Jungle Jim's grocery store, to the century-long history of Piggly Wiggly grocery stores, grocery stores amount to much more than just aisles of shelves and rows of shopping carts.

Grocery chains like A&P have lengthy histories that can extend back to the 1800s. However, even the oldest grocery chains cannot last forever; despite A&P's long history, the chain filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and again in 2015. Ultimately, the company had a steady decline in number of stores throughout the decades and eventually grew unable to stay in business.

A variety of factors contributed to the eventual end of A&P, including increased competition from other grocery chains. Still, credit must be given where it is due; at one point in time, A&P proudly held the crown as the largest retailer in the United States and the world! Ultimately, the company just could not outrun time and all locations were closed on November 25, 2016.

Originally, A&P wasn't actually a grocery store. The company started as a mail-order tea company with an entirely different name. After 6 years in business, the company adopted the name Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, which went on to be abbreviated by customers to A&P. Throughout the 1870s, the company saw rapid growth expanding well into the midwestern parts of America. The list of available products also grew to include more items than strictly tea and coffee, eventually giving birth to the predecessor of modern grocery stores as we know it. By 1917, A&P became the most successful supermarket chain in the entire country.

A&P held that record up until 1962, which is when signs of trouble began to crop up. Although the company was still seeing success, the conversion from small stores to larger supermarkets resulted in the loss of many locations; combined with the increase in competition from other companies, as well as the lack of willingness to adhere to modernization and customer feedback, A&P faded into the background. The company passed the torch to other big store grands, such as Walmart, and finally closed up for good.