I remember this little chain of markets. They were all over the place in Rhode Island and Massachusetts then shut down in the 90's. They bought out the Star Market chains in the area in the 80's. For the longest time they were competing against Stop and Shop, Star Market, Finast, and A & P. Shaws coming in didn't help either. However, once Stop and Shop made the mega supermarkets, Almacs couldn't compete. Their markets were just too small in comparison. Pity really, I liked going into them and not having the hike through miles of aisles to find what I wanted.
Almacs I know of
Rumford RI --former Star Market, Became a furniture store, vacant for the longest time, now rumored to be demolished and made into a WalMart. The Papa Ginos pizza place next door used to open into the market. The Papa Gino's closed in the 80's and moved up the street to its own outparcel in the Stop and Shop Lot
East Providence RI--former anchor to the Wampanoag Mall, now a Savers secondhand store
Barrington RI--now a Shaw's
Providence RI (college hill area)--former Star Market, building demolished when entire plaza was redone
Warwick RI --now a Dave's Marketplace
Lincoln Mall, Lincoln RI--now an Ocean State Job Lot
South Attleboro Mass--former Star Market was closed since there was already an Almacs up the street (now a liquor store) This location now houses a Staples
Pawtucket RI--medical offices
I know there are a lot more out there, these are just the ones I recall off the top of my head
picture taken 6/4/07
Almacs in Rhode Island is a thing of the past. For at least 17 years the one in Coventry RI is still vacant and the whole plaza where it was is still vacant.
Almacs went bankrupt in 1991 and the Coventry RI one has sat vacant since then. the K-Mart next door to Almacs closed in 1994 and then the rest of the plaza went out. and to this day it stays vacant.
There was one in Swansea, Mass (Where I grew up as a kid) It was a small one. It's now a Seabra Supermarket.