The Ames Fan Club

This is a chain of smaller stores, generally in the upstate NY area.  They have closed may stores over the years, but still have stores in (per their flyer):

Cairo, Fonda and Prattsville (in the 518 area code)
Afton, Bainbridge, Cooperstown, Delhi, Greene, Oxford, Sherberne, Sidney, Undadilla (in the 607 area code)
Boonville,Bridgeport, Lyons Falls, Richfield Springs, Tully, Watertown, West Winfield (in the 315 area code)
and Liberty in the 845 area code for a total of 20 stores.

They are owned & operated independently (or in small groups) - kind of a coopertive like ShopRite or others.

The first two shots are the former store in Schoharie - about 10 miles from Cobleskill - as you can see they are tearing down/remodelling, for what I don't know (no signs).

The 3rd shot is the Cooperstown store (on Rt 28, still in the village).

The 4th is the Delhi store (on Route 28 where it makes a turn).

wait, is the first shot in Middleburgh or Scoharie? I found an old Great American in Scoharie last year, with the logo still up and everything. If its the same one, then thank the lord I got pictures..

QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
wait, is the first shot in Middleburgh or Scoharie? I found an old Great American in Scoharie last year, with the logo still up and everything. If its the same one, then thank the lord I got pictures..

No doubt that that was originally a Victory Markets store.

OOPS - I meant Schoharie (Middleburgh has a Grand Union which is still open - at least this week's ad says it is).  Knew it was one of those small towns!

I'm really glad you got that picture too!

I hope the vacant one in Canajoharie is still there..hehe

The Canajoharie store still stands vacant... lol.. the Cooperstown store is really a nice store inside and out, I remember waaaayyy back when they were remodeling it , then a few years after the chain went bankrupt.  I recall locations such as Walton NY- now Big M, Oneonta NY- Now Office Max, Richfield Springs- closed recently and remains vacant, Hancock NY- closed recently vacant- GU across the road.  They used to be so big... everyone used to shop there.  Now its a small town last resort kinda market.  I'm not sure how much longer Delhi will be open as the new Price Chopper has just opened.

Here's a shot of the Canajoharie, NY Great American.

Hmm...

     Great American had a store in Millerton, NY, before it became a GrandUnion. GA had a HUGE STORE in New Paltz and in Amerina (I believe they became Grand Union, then Stop & Shop!)

JimS

Great American had a store in Millerton, NY, before it became a GrandUnion. GA had a HUGE STORE in New Paltz and in Amerina (I believe they became Grand Union, then Stop & Shop!)

The one in Millerton is still a Grand Union (one of the few that remain under that name - or rather GU Family Markets).

The Amenia (I'm assuming that what's you meant) one, along with several other GU's are now Foodtown stores (or at least they were - not that the website shows any in Dutchess County now - but they just re-did the LaGrange one so I assume they still are - just must be the updated website that is mixed up).

The New Paltz - after GU it had been a local place, but I believe that closed as they are now building a Stop & Shop (that is where the Ames was, however).

QuoteOriginally posted by BillyGr
Great American had a store in Millerton, NY, before it became a GrandUnion. GA had a HUGE STORE in New Paltz and in Amerina (I believe they became Grand Union, then Stop & Shop!)

The one in Millerton is still a Grand Union (one of the few that remain under that name - or rather GU Family Markets).

The Amenia (I'm assuming that what's you meant) one, along with several other GU's are now Foodtown stores (or at least they were - not that the website shows any in Dutchess County now - but they just re-did the LaGrange one so I assume they still are - just must be the updated website that is mixed up).

The New Paltz - after GU it had been a local place, but I believe that closed as they are now building a Stop & Shop (that is where the Ames was, however).

I didn't know the New Paltz Great American became a Grand Union. I was in there as a little kid when it was still GA. Now its a Peter Harris clothes and an Advance Auto Parts store I believe.

Also, Foodtown still operates the old Grand Union in LaGrange.

Here's a pic of the former New Paltz Great American as it looks now.

here is the closed great american in malone new york in the former ames plaza

Here is the Prattsville, NY store on Route 23. Still open.

I remember passing this store quite a few times on my way in and out of Hunter Mountain. I may have been in that store, in fact I know I was when I went to Tannersville a few weeks after that. That particular store has the characteristics of a former Victory Markets.

QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
Here is the Prattsville, NY store on Route 23. Still open.

Alot of the Great American's up that way were indeed Victory stores. This one, one in Stamford and Margaretville(both now closed), and a few others were Victory Markets.

Most Great American stores in Northern New York state were taken over from the Canadian-based Loblaws chain in the mid-1970s, but were gone by the mid-1990's.  Unfortunately, the only store in my area left open is the one in Watertown, NY.  That's because the employees bought the store out from the company.  Our former Great American in Ogdensburg closed in 1992 and never reopened.  Now that plaza is completely vacant and scheduled for demolition next year. :(

I can add West Winfield, New Berlin, and  believe Greene's was a Victory as well.

QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
Alot of the Great American's up that way were indeed Victory stores. This one, one in Stamford and Margaretville(both now closed), and a few others were Victory Markets.

QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
Alot of the Great American's up that way were indeed Victory stores. This one, one in Stamford and Margaretville(both now closed), and a few others were Victory Markets.

I know that Great American was owned by Victory Markets.  The old store in my hometown had a video rental department named "Victory Video."

You are correct. Both the Great Americans and the Victorys that I went in had Victory Videos regardless of the store's name. They originally had their headquarters in Norwich, then moved them to Utica. I can't remember where they now call their Headquarters home.

QuoteOriginally posted by mikey1972

QuoteOriginally posted by amesman
Alot of the Great American's up that way were indeed Victory stores. This one, one in Stamford and Margaretville(both now closed), and a few others were Victory Markets.

I know that Great American was owned by Victory Markets.  The old store in my hometown had a video rental department named "Victory Video."

Here's a photo from the end of 1992 in my local paper (Ogdensburg (NY) Journal) about the impending loss of our local Great American.  The store was taken over from Loblaws in 1975 and after Great American left, it was never reoccupied.  It will be demolished (along with the rest of the plaza) next year.

All:

      Is  Great american still around?? Do they have a website?

JimS

QuoteOriginally posted by JimSawhill
All:

      Is  Great american still around?? Do they have a website?

JimS

They are still around, but they are locally owned. I would say that it has been around 10 years since they went out, and were bought up locally. Many locations closed as the Result, but many of the stores in the small towns remained open under new ownership. Not sure if they have a website.

Oh god... there's one like four blocks away from my house and it's the worse place to go grocery shopping in the area, and it pretty much caters to the residents of the area (which are mostly white trash).

I could go on, but it has been convienent in the past.

The store front sign, no longer looking so bright.

Shopping cart in the parking lot.

Red, white and blue floor tile.

Sale Price Tag.

Red
White
And
Blue

The Great American road sign.

The store front of the former Great American.

This picture shows the service desk off to the left and directly in front of the windows were the checkouts.

The Great American store in Hancock, NY.

Welcome to Charlie's Great American store!

The Great American meat department and deli.

The older interior decor package of the Great American.

The Great American interior wall sign.

Make sure to reserve your parking spot at the Great American.

The Great American store front and entrance.

The interior of the store above is exactly the way I remember the New Paltz store looking like. Very nice to see :)

This was the first Great American store that I've seen in my travels that actually looks pretty modern. This store is located downtown in Sidney, NY.

Produce department sign.

The Great American bakery.

The great american graphics.

Thanks for stopping by the Great American Supermarket.

According to the Times Union (Albany), it looks like Slater's Great American (in Cairo, NY) will be turning into a Hannaford store in the near future.

http://blog.timesunion.com/business/new-hannaford-supermarket-planned-for-cairo/22591/

This is the third Hannaford to be announced in the last few months in the Columbia/Greene County areas.  The other two being Columbia County across the river - New Lebanon (a new building near a former locally owned store that closed a year or so ago) and Livingston (an area without any grocery store at all), and now this one (the Great American being the only grocery store in Cairo and also being an area that many would come to first from the mountain areas with few if any grocery stores before getting to Catskill).

Quote from: BillyGr on January 28, 2011, 08:11:54 PM
According to the Times Union (Albany), it looks like Slater's Great American (in Cairo, NY) will be turning into a Hannaford store in the near future.

http://blog.timesunion.com/business/new-hannaford-supermarket-planned-for-cairo/22591/

This is the third Hannaford to be announced in the last few months in the Columbia/Greene County areas.  The other two being Columbia County across the river - New Lebanon (a new building near a former locally owned store that closed a year or so ago) and Livingston (an area without any grocery store at all), and now this one (the Great American being the only grocery store in Cairo and also being an area that many would come to first from the mountain areas with few if any grocery stores before getting to Catskill).

Hannaford is the beneficiary of Price Chopper resting on its laurels and steering clear of smaller areas in recent years. Price Chopper's big concerns seem to have drifted to Vermont and New Hampshire lately, well that and keeping Wegmans out of anywhere east of I-81 though the under construction Wegmans near Worcester is in Golub territory.

As for the earlier Sidney pictures, they remind me a lot of the arrangement and decor the Millerton, NY Great American had during its brief time (1993-96) in the chain before it was sold to Grand Union. That was a WTF expansion for them given it was isolated from other locations by over 40 miles and they couldn't parlay their default business from SE Columbia County and NW Connecticut into any further success.

Quote from: powersbt on December 04, 2006, 08:15:01 AM
They are still around, but they are locally owned. I would say that it has been around 10 years since they went out, and were bought up locally. Many locations closed as the Result, but many of the stores in the small towns remained open under new ownership. Not sure if they have a website.

Since you posted this originally in 2006, you are fairly close on the dating.

I found an article in an old issue (Oct 19, 1995) of the (also now defunct) Columbia County Independent newspaper - here's the beginning of it:

HEADLINE - Six-week-old Chatham market set to close this weekend
This past Friday the 13th was a tough one for Chatham Supermarket owner James Liles. 
He spent the day making the grim decision to close down the grocery store he opened on Coleman Street just six weeks ago.
After spending more than $100,000 to refurbish the former FINAST building, Mr. Liles suddenly lost his sub-lease when GREAT AMERICAN FOOD STORES filed for CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY.

Great American leased the building from Robert Trotta of MILLERTON Supermarket for about $75,000 a year, and Mr. Liles subleased "for less than half that amount" from Great American.

So this gives not only a date for the bankruptcy, but also a connection to the Millerton location and maybe at least one (probably minor) reason toward their bankruptcy (if they were sub leasing sites for far less then they were paying).

Additionally - to update the post two above:
The Livingston Hannaford is set to open in May, the one in New Lebanon was turned down by the town and DOT (leaving them without a store since the locally owned store there, at one point also owned by one James Liles, closed a couple years back) and no idea on the Cairo one, but they still have a website (slatersgreatamerican.com) and still appear to have an ad for the current week, so I guess they haven't changed yet!

And continuing to read through the old Independents, in the March 4, 1996 issue is this arcticle:

Grand Union comes to Millerton
Long circulated rumors that Grand Union would take over the Great American store on Route 44 became a reality last Tuesday (February 27th, since there is a 29th in 1996) when a new Grand Union officially opened for business.

But Dan Vaillancourt, public relations director for the supermarket chain, says even Grand Union did not know it would be acquiring the 27,500 square foot store until four days before it's official opening.

Mr. V says GU became interested in the property several months ago after Victory Markets, parent company to Great American, went bankrupt.

He says GU looed at the store and the location and "thought it would be a good fit."

"We put in a bid in bankruptcy court," adds Mr. V, 'but we did not receive an official court order that the property as ours until last Friday, February 23."

Due to the short turn around, no major changes were made, but they will be once there is time to look at the store and see what is in the budget.
Interesting point - none of the Great American employees were hired, but about half of the 35 employees were forer GU employees that had been laid off or put on reduced schedules after GU itself closed 24 stores the prior year during it's bankruptcy, most in the Capital Region and Mid Hudson Valley.
Most of the former employees came from either closed Kingston or Poughkeepsie locations (I'd guess the Poughkeepsie was the downtown one that became RiteAid/Davis Furniture, not sure where in Kingston there was one, since the only one I know of in the plaza with Walgreens (just off 587 and the thruway) stayed until the final bankruptcy, I believe?

Yes, the Kingston Plaza store stayed until the end.  The other Grand Union was out on Route 9W in Ulster and is now occupied by Aldi/Family Dollar.

The one in West Winfield closed on February 28, 2019. It will soon become a Dollar General Plus.

https://961theeagle.com/west-winfield-grocery-store-great-american-is-closing/

https://961theeagle.com/dollar-general-plus-opening-in-west-winfield/

Quote from: BillyGr on March 31, 2012, 08:14:17 PM
And continuing to read through the old Independents, in the March 4, 1996 issue is this arcticle:

Grand Union comes to Millerton
Long circulated rumors that Grand Union would take over the Great American store on Route 44 became a reality last Tuesday (February 27th, since there is a 29th in 1996) when a new Grand Union officially opened for business.

But Dan Vaillancourt, public relations director for the supermarket chain, says even Grand Union did not know it would be acquiring the 27,500 square foot store until four days before it's official opening.

Mr. V says GU became interested in the property several months ago after Victory Markets, parent company to Great American, went bankrupt.

He says GU looed at the store and the location and "thought it would be a good fit."

"We put in a bid in bankruptcy court," adds Mr. V, 'but we did not receive an official court order that the property as ours until last Friday, February 23."

Due to the short turn around, no major changes were made, but they will be once there is time to look at the store and see what is in the budget.
Interesting point - none of the Great American employees were hired, but about half of the 35 employees were forer GU employees that had been laid off or put on reduced schedules after GU itself closed 24 stores the prior year during it's bankruptcy, most in the Capital Region and Mid Hudson Valley.
Most of the former employees came from either closed Kingston or Poughkeepsie locations (I'd guess the Poughkeepsie was the downtown one that became RiteAid/Davis Furniture, not sure where in Kingston there was one, since the only one I know of in the plaza with Walgreens (just off 587 and the thruway) stayed until the final bankruptcy, I believe?

The Millerton Grand Union closed February 28, 2017 due to the lease not being renewed. It was quickly replaced with Millerton Fresh Market.

Quote from: Retail Regents on May 17, 2019, 11:33:33 PM

Quote from: BillyGr on March 31, 2012, 08:14:17 PM
And continuing to read through the old Independents, in the March 4, 1996 issue is this arcticle:

Grand Union comes to Millerton
Long circulated rumors that Grand Union would take over the Great American store on Route 44 became a reality last Tuesday (February 27th, since there is a 29th in 1996) when a new Grand Union officially opened for business.

But Dan Vaillancourt, public relations director for the supermarket chain, says even Grand Union did not know it would be acquiring the 27,500 square foot store until four days before it's official opening.

Mr. V says GU became interested in the property several months ago after Victory Markets, parent company to Great American, went bankrupt.

He says GU looed at the store and the location and "thought it would be a good fit."

"We put in a bid in bankruptcy court," adds Mr. V, 'but we did not receive an official court order that the property as ours until last Friday, February 23."

Due to the short turn around, no major changes were made, but they will be once there is time to look at the store and see what is in the budget.
Interesting point - none of the Great American employees were hired, but about half of the 35 employees were forer GU employees that had been laid off or put on reduced schedules after GU itself closed 24 stores the prior year during it's bankruptcy, most in the Capital Region and Mid Hudson Valley.
Most of the former employees came from either closed Kingston or Poughkeepsie locations (I'd guess the Poughkeepsie was the downtown one that became RiteAid/Davis Furniture, not sure where in Kingston there was one, since the only one I know of in the plaza with Walgreens (just off 587 and the thruway) stayed until the final bankruptcy, I believe?

The Millerton Grand Union closed February 28, 2017 due to the lease not being renewed. It was quickly replaced with Millerton Fresh Market.

Millerton Fresh Market is owned by the Trotta family, the same family that had sold their Millerton supermarket with little warning to Great American in 1993. This brought everything full circle.

I lived in Millerton during this period and Great American was never given a good fit for there between how far it was from other locations to that the bar was set very, very high as Trotta's. Grand Union actually invested quite a bit in the store and it was fully converted to their latest decor package by the start of that summer. Given the lack of markets in southeast Columbia County and northwest Litchfield County, it takes from a much larger are as one would think even before Millerton became a "destination".

I have covered the ones that are still around (despite West Winfield closing).

http://retailregents.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-great-american-collection-of.html

Quote from: Scrabbleship on May 19, 2019, 04:45:29 PM

Quote from: Retail Regents on May 17, 2019, 11:33:33 PM

Quote from: BillyGr on March 31, 2012, 08:14:17 PM
And continuing to read through the old Independents, in the March 4, 1996 issue is this arcticle:

Grand Union comes to Millerton
Long circulated rumors that Grand Union would take over the Great American store on Route 44 became a reality last Tuesday (February 27th, since there is a 29th in 1996) when a new Grand Union officially opened for business.

But Dan Vaillancourt, public relations director for the supermarket chain, says even Grand Union did not know it would be acquiring the 27,500 square foot store until four days before it's official opening.

Mr. V says GU became interested in the property several months ago after Victory Markets, parent company to Great American, went bankrupt.

He says GU looed at the store and the location and "thought it would be a good fit."

"We put in a bid in bankruptcy court," adds Mr. V, 'but we did not receive an official court order that the property as ours until last Friday, February 23."

Due to the short turn around, no major changes were made, but they will be once there is time to look at the store and see what is in the budget.
Interesting point - none of the Great American employees were hired, but about half of the 35 employees were forer GU employees that had been laid off or put on reduced schedules after GU itself closed 24 stores the prior year during it's bankruptcy, most in the Capital Region and Mid Hudson Valley.
Most of the former employees came from either closed Kingston or Poughkeepsie locations (I'd guess the Poughkeepsie was the downtown one that became RiteAid/Davis Furniture, not sure where in Kingston there was one, since the only one I know of in the plaza with Walgreens (just off 587 and the thruway) stayed until the final bankruptcy, I believe?

The Millerton Grand Union closed February 28, 2017 due to the lease not being renewed. It was quickly replaced with Millerton Fresh Market.

Millerton Fresh Market is owned by the Trotta family, the same family that had sold their Millerton supermarket with little warning to Great American in 1993. This brought everything full circle.

I lived in Millerton during this period and Great American was never given a good fit for there between how far it was from other locations to that the bar was set very, very high as Trotta's. Grand Union actually invested quite a bit in the store and it was fully converted to their latest decor package by the start of that summer. Given the lack of markets in southeast Columbia County and northwest Litchfield County, it takes from a much larger are as one would think even before Millerton became a "destination".

Is it still open? I'm thinking of vacationing and visit abandoned stores...

Quote from: JimSawhill on July 16, 2019, 05:04:14 PM

Quote from: Scrabbleship on May 19, 2019, 04:45:29 PM

Quote from: Retail Regents on May 17, 2019, 11:33:33 PM

Quote from: BillyGr on March 31, 2012, 08:14:17 PM
And continuing to read through the old Independents, in the March 4, 1996 issue is this arcticle:

Grand Union comes to Millerton
Long circulated rumors that Grand Union would take over the Great American store on Route 44 became a reality last Tuesday (February 27th, since there is a 29th in 1996) when a new Grand Union officially opened for business.

But Dan Vaillancourt, public relations director for the supermarket chain, says even Grand Union did not know it would be acquiring the 27,500 square foot store until four days before it's official opening.

Mr. V says GU became interested in the property several months ago after Victory Markets, parent company to Great American, went bankrupt.

He says GU looed at the store and the location and "thought it would be a good fit."

"We put in a bid in bankruptcy court," adds Mr. V, 'but we did not receive an official court order that the property as ours until last Friday, February 23."

Due to the short turn around, no major changes were made, but they will be once there is time to look at the store and see what is in the budget.
Interesting point - none of the Great American employees were hired, but about half of the 35 employees were forer GU employees that had been laid off or put on reduced schedules after GU itself closed 24 stores the prior year during it's bankruptcy, most in the Capital Region and Mid Hudson Valley.
Most of the former employees came from either closed Kingston or Poughkeepsie locations (I'd guess the Poughkeepsie was the downtown one that became RiteAid/Davis Furniture, not sure where in Kingston there was one, since the only one I know of in the plaza with Walgreens (just off 587 and the thruway) stayed until the final bankruptcy, I believe?

The Millerton Grand Union closed February 28, 2017 due to the lease not being renewed. It was quickly replaced with Millerton Fresh Market.

Millerton Fresh Market is owned by the Trotta family, the same family that had sold their Millerton supermarket with little warning to Great American in 1993. This brought everything full circle.

I lived in Millerton during this period and Great American was never given a good fit for there between how far it was from other locations to that the bar was set very, very high as Trotta's. Grand Union actually invested quite a bit in the store and it was fully converted to their latest decor package by the start of that summer. Given the lack of markets in southeast Columbia County and northwest Litchfield County, it takes from a much larger are as one would think even before Millerton became a "destination".

Is it still open? I'm thinking of vacationing and visit abandoned stores...

They quietly vacated their store.

Got a better picture of the Prattsville location's exterior. It's kind of strange this, as a smaller almost non-chain store got restored after Hurricane Irene yet the Grand Union in Middleburgh got destroyed and is still abandoned to this day.

Quote from: Retail Regents on September 09, 2019, 09:55:23 PM
Got a better picture of the Prattsville location's exterior. It's kind of strange this, as a smaller almost non-chain store got restored after Hurricane Irene yet the Grand Union in Middleburgh got destroyed and is still abandoned to this day.

Most likely it is due to the ownership.

The Great American being independently owned, that owner had the incentive to rebuild and reopen the store to keep his business going, as that is likely his major source of income.

The Grand Union, which was then still run by the wholesaler C&S didn't.  They had already closed stores, willing to leave them vacant rather than try to compete with other chains (and willing to lose the volume they had through them, as it was likely a tiny amount compared to what they were doing in the wholesale end), so they took this in that same vein (overall minor loss in volume, offset by the savings in not restoring it and the savings of not having to staff the store).

Likely, had someone in that area gone to them and offered to take the property off their hands for a minimal payment they would have taken it, but apparently no one has (as there was fairly recently a store opened in that area, but I believe it is across the street from the old GU).

True. The exterior looks nicer than it did before.

I wonder if they got the Cairo location's carts? They have some Slater's Marketplace carts in addition to their red 2004 Technibilt carts.

http://amesfanclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=5631.msg74484#new

Quote from: Retail Regents on September 10, 2019, 03:37:19 PM
True. The exterior looks nicer than it did before.

I wonder if they got the Cairo location's carts? They have some Slater's Marketplace carts in addition to their red 2004 Technibilt carts.

http://amesfanclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=5631.msg74484#new

Not to say that there isn't (or wasn't) another store by that name, but since the Cairo one was, is no longer there (now a Hannaford on the site) and isn't all that far away, I'd say the chances are 99.99999999999999% that's where they came from.

That might be a possibility. It is also possible another store had the Slater's name elsewhere since the Real Deals Dollar Store up in Watertown uses Slater's Marketplace carts (from 2009, the Prattsville ones are from 2007), but the Great American is a Lockwood-owned location with Commissary carts from 2008.

Quote from: Retail Regents on July 17, 2019, 11:24:52 AM

Quote from: JimSawhill on July 16, 2019, 05:04:14 PM

Quote from: Scrabbleship on May 19, 2019, 04:45:29 PM

Quote from: Retail Regents on May 17, 2019, 11:33:33 PM

Quote from: BillyGr on March 31, 2012, 08:14:17 PM
And continuing to read through the old Independents, in the March 4, 1996 issue is this arcticle:

Grand Union comes to Millerton
Long circulated rumors that Grand Union would take over the Great American store on Route 44 became a reality last Tuesday (February 27th, since there is a 29th in 1996) when a new Grand Union officially opened for business.

But Dan Vaillancourt, public relations director for the supermarket chain, says even Grand Union did not know it would be acquiring the 27,500 square foot store until four days before it's official opening.

Mr. V says GU became interested in the property several months ago after Victory Markets, parent company to Great American, went bankrupt.

He says GU looed at the store and the location and "thought it would be a good fit."

"We put in a bid in bankruptcy court," adds Mr. V, 'but we did not receive an official court order that the property as ours until last Friday, February 23."

Due to the short turn around, no major changes were made, but they will be once there is time to look at the store and see what is in the budget.
Interesting point - none of the Great American employees were hired, but about half of the 35 employees were forer GU employees that had been laid off or put on reduced schedules after GU itself closed 24 stores the prior year during it's bankruptcy, most in the Capital Region and Mid Hudson Valley.
Most of the former employees came from either closed Kingston or Poughkeepsie locations (I'd guess the Poughkeepsie was the downtown one that became RiteAid/Davis Furniture, not sure where in Kingston there was one, since the only one I know of in the plaza with Walgreens (just off 587 and the thruway) stayed until the final bankruptcy, I believe?

The Millerton Grand Union closed February 28, 2017 due to the lease not being renewed. It was quickly replaced with Millerton Fresh Market.

Millerton Fresh Market is owned by the Trotta family, the same family that had sold their Millerton supermarket with little warning to Great American in 1993. This brought everything full circle.

I lived in Millerton during this period and Great American was never given a good fit for there between how far it was from other locations to that the bar was set very, very high as Trotta's. Grand Union actually invested quite a bit in the store and it was fully converted to their latest decor package by the start of that summer. Given the lack of markets in southeast Columbia County and northwest Litchfield County, it takes from a much larger are as one would think even before Millerton became a "destination".

Is it still open? I'm thinking of vacationing and visit abandoned stores...

They quietly vacated their store.

Anything in it now? Or it it still vacant? I wonder if C&S would let someone buy the Grand Union name...

Quote from: JimSawhill on September 14, 2019, 01:59:47 PM

Quote from: Retail Regents on July 17, 2019, 11:24:52 AM

Quote from: JimSawhill on July 16, 2019, 05:04:14 PM

Quote from: Scrabbleship on May 19, 2019, 04:45:29 PM
Millerton Fresh Market is owned by the Trotta family, the same family that had sold their Millerton supermarket with little warning to Great American in 1993. This brought everything full circle.

I lived in Millerton during this period and Great American was never given a good fit for there between how far it was from other locations to that the bar was set very, very high as Trotta's. Grand Union actually invested quite a bit in the store and it was fully converted to their latest decor package by the start of that summer. Given the lack of markets in southeast Columbia County and northwest Litchfield County, it takes from a much larger are as one would think even before Millerton became a "destination".

Is it still open? I'm thinking of vacationing and visit abandoned stores...

They quietly vacated their store.

Anything in it now? Or it it still vacant? I wonder if C&S would let someone buy the Grand Union name...

Surprising Hannaford hasn't popped up again - I know they wanted to build in the area and the town/people weren't happy, but now that there is no store in town they might be more receptive.  Even if they started out by taking over the existing space (wouldn't be the first smaller Hannaford), then they could apply to rebuild or add on.

Quote from: BillyGr on September 16, 2019, 02:49:03 PM

Quote from: JimSawhill on September 14, 2019, 01:59:47 PM

Quote from: Retail Regents on July 17, 2019, 11:24:52 AM

Quote from: JimSawhill on July 16, 2019, 05:04:14 PM

Quote from: Scrabbleship on May 19, 2019, 04:45:29 PM
Millerton Fresh Market is owned by the Trotta family, the same family that had sold their Millerton supermarket with little warning to Great American in 1993. This brought everything full circle.

I lived in Millerton during this period and Great American was never given a good fit for there between how far it was from other locations to that the bar was set very, very high as Trotta's. Grand Union actually invested quite a bit in the store and it was fully converted to their latest decor package by the start of that summer. Given the lack of markets in southeast Columbia County and northwest Litchfield County, it takes from a much larger are as one would think even before Millerton became a "destination".

Is it still open? I'm thinking of vacationing and visit abandoned stores...

They quietly vacated their store.

Anything in it now? Or it it still vacant? I wonder if C&S would let someone buy the Grand Union name...

Surprising Hannaford hasn't popped up again - I know they wanted to build in the area and the town/people weren't happy, but now that there is no store in town they might be more receptive.  Even if they started out by taking over the existing space (wouldn't be the first smaller Hannaford), then they could apply to rebuild or add on.

Not only no store in town, but no substantial store for some distance. It's about 10 miles from the Stop & Shop in North Canaan or the Freshtown in Amenia and the latter has some issues of its own though it's far better off than it's days as a sixties vintage Grand Union.

Beyond that and you don't hit any grocers outside of some small IGA-affiliated markets until around 25 miles away with Livingston/Hudson (ShopRite, Hannaford), Great Barrington (Big Y, Price Chopper), Rhinebeck/Red Hook (Tops, Hannaford), and some ways further Kingston (see Livingston/Hudson) or Torrington (Stop & Shop, Big Y, Market 32). The Millerton location always had a LOT of people coming from the Northwest Corner and southeast Columbia County as there just isn't that much there.

wow looks like the Canajoharie one is being used as a garage or something

Quote from: buzz86us on September 16, 2019, 07:13:06 PM
wow looks like the Canajoharie one is being used as a garage or something

It's been like that for well over a decade, possibly longer. It is still a storage building to this day.

The Watertown and Star Lake stores are closing. From the photos I've seen of both stores, they have both seen much better days.
https://www.wwnytv.com/2019/11/05/great-american-grocery-stores-closing-watertown-star-lake/

Just to provide some context about the struggling economy in the area, the Freihofer's Bakery Outlet (referenced at the very end of the report) is also closing
https://www.wwnytv.com/2019/11/05/freihofers-bakery-outlet-closing/

As of 2022, it appears that only Greene, Sidney, and Prattsville are still operating. And looking at Google streetview, it appears that the Prattsville store got another exterior facelift, with an even blander logo in black. One nice thing about it is they gave it a covered entryway.

Quote from: Scrabbleship on September 16, 2019, 05:10:27 PM

Quote from: BillyGr on September 16, 2019, 02:49:03 PM

Quote from: JimSawhill on September 14, 2019, 01:59:47 PM

Quote from: Retail Regents on July 17, 2019, 11:24:52 AM

Quote from: JimSawhill on July 16, 2019, 05:04:14 PM

Quote from: Scrabbleship on May 19, 2019, 04:45:29 PMMillerton Fresh Market is owned by the Trotta family, the same family that had sold their Millerton supermarket with little warning to Great American in 1993. This brought everything full circle.

I lived in Millerton during this period and Great American was never given a good fit for there between how far it was from other locations to that the bar was set very, very high as Trotta's. Grand Union actually invested quite a bit in the store and it was fully converted to their latest decor package by the start of that summer. Given the lack of markets in southeast Columbia County and northwest Litchfield County, it takes from a much larger are as one would think even before Millerton became a "destination".

Is it still open? I'm thinking of vacationing and visit abandoned stores...

They quietly vacated their store.

Anything in it now? Or it it still vacant? I wonder if C&S would let someone buy the Grand Union name...

Surprising Hannaford hasn't popped up again - I know they wanted to build in the area and the town/people weren't happy, but now that there is no store in town they might be more receptive.  Even if they started out by taking over the existing space (wouldn't be the first smaller Hannaford), then they could apply to rebuild or add on.

Not only no store in town, but no substantial store for some distance. It's about 10 miles from the Stop & Shop in North Canaan or the Freshtown in Amenia and the latter has some issues of its own though it's far better off than it's days as a sixties vintage Grand Union.

Beyond that and you don't hit any grocers outside of some small IGA-affiliated markets until around 25 miles away with Livingston/Hudson (ShopRite, Hannaford), Great Barrington (Big Y, Price Chopper), Rhinebeck/Red Hook (Tops, Hannaford), and some ways further Kingston (see Livingston/Hudson) or Torrington (Stop & Shop, Big Y, Market 32). The Millerton location always had a LOT of people coming from the Northwest Corner and southeast Columbia County as there just isn't that much there.

Just for update - apparently (per the Tri Corner News) nothing has occupied this supermarket since that Trotta owned store closed in 2019, and as of early 2022 the entire plaza (including freestanding buildings like McDonalds) is now vacant.
Also, there is a contract to sell the plaza and according to the Trotta that still owns it (there were several family members involved, between the building ownership, market and other storefronts in the plaza at one time) the party contracting for it wants to renovate and bring a supermarket back to the site.

No more information, though they could always try the Great American name again... ;) - but not likely Grand Union as recent developments have shown that C&S is not interested in selling it, since they are now using it again up in northern NY (though maybe they would allow it's use if the new owner wanted to get supplied by them?).

It appears the Prattsville store is the final Great American store in operation - Sidney closed in November 2022 and Greene closed around March/April of this year.

Quote from: amesman on April 20, 2006, 02:50:54 PMI hope the vacant one in Canajoharie is still there..hehe

It looks like it has been recently torn down or massively remodeled. I passed by it a couple weeks ago, and a large building under construction now occupies the site.