The Savings Are Amazing At Ames / Big N

[Ames303]

It appears Ames bought Big N in 1979.

[TheFugitive]

According to the Wikipedia article on Neisner's (Big N's parent company) the acquisition
occurred in December, 1978.

In my first assignment with Ames in the late 1980's one of the other assistant managers
I worked with had started her career at a Big N store in Maine.

[catnapped]

The announcement was made in November of 1978

[Retail Regents]

Was Ames ever required to divest any of them? I know there are some here in Upstate NY that became Kmart stores instead.

[TheFugitive]

That's a good question.  Under the Reagan Administration and going forward the government pretty much took a hands-off approach to store divestment and antitrust.  In '78 Carter was still President so it's possible that they did make Ames divest some stores.  I'd have to research it.

[Retail Regents]

That's a good question.  Under the Reagan Administration and going forward the government pretty much took a hands-off approach to store divestment and antitrust.  In '78 Carter was still President so it's possible that they did make Ames divest some stores.  I'd have to research it.

Looking at the Kmart Latest list, the stores they got that were former Big N locations were all in Upstate NY and were the original store in Batavia (opened 1978, currently subdivided), Glenmont (opened March 8, 1979, currently split between Planet Fitness and Tractor Supply), and Greenwich (opened November 15, 1979, currently occupied by a Big Lots). However, the more likely reason (at least for Batavia and Glenmont) for them not taking the Big N stores was the towns already having existing Ames stores. As for Greenwich, I cannot see why Ames didn't take it, especially given their preference for smaller towns and rural communities.

[BillyGr]

Looking at the Kmart Latest list, the stores they got that were former Big N locations were all in Upstate NY and were the original store in Batavia (opened 1978, currently subdivided), Glenmont (opened March 8, 1979, currently split between Planet Fitness and Tractor Supply), and Greenwich (opened November 15, 1979, currently occupied by a Big Lots). However, the more likely reason (at least for Batavia and Glenmont) for them not taking the Big N stores was the towns already having existing Ames stores. As for Greenwich, I cannot see why Ames didn't take it, especially given their preference for smaller towns and rural communities.

Glenmont didn't have an existing Ames store.  The one that was there (in the plaza on the opposite corner) was a later built store than 1979 (when this was happening), somewhere into the mid 1980's or even later 1980's would be more likely.

I'm not sure if there were even ANY Ames in the area that far back, so that might have been a reason (the earliest ones I can think of were from taking over Kings), so possibly at that time a couple scattered stores weren't seen as feasible?