The Market Report

Price Chopper Opened:  1995 Previous Tenants:  Wonder Markets > Big D Supermarket Location:  29 Sunderland Rd, Grafton Hill, Worcester, MA Photographed: November 4, 2018 Even though Worcester doesn't have the chains it once did, like Big D or Iandoli's, there is actually a lot of mainstream supermarket choice in and immediately around the city. Big Y, Price Chopper /Market 32, Shaw's , Stop & Shop, Market Basket , and Hannaford all have a meaningful presence in and near the city. Plus, there are a few independents like Park 'n Shop . There are also a few supermarkets in and around Worcester that are a bit of a time capsule. The 32,000 square foot Price Chopper at Pozzessere Square (does anyone call it that?) where Sunderland and Massasoit Roads intersect is one of those time capsules. It was built between 1957 and 1962 as a Wonder Market ("Sunderland Wonder Market" in 1969 and 1973). It appears that Wonder Market was affiliated with Big D, so my assump

Original Grocery Tenant: Iandoli Super Market Address: 725 Grafton St, Union Hill, Worcester, MA Opened:  bet. 1962 and 1969 Closed:  bet. 1973 and 1985 Later Tenants:  Food World Warehouse (open by 1985) > subdivided Photographed:  October 4, 2020 This was definitely Iandoli's home turf! The 20,000 square foot store opened at some point in the 1960s, then closed at some point in the mid- to late-70s or early 80s. By 1985, Iandoli converted the store to Food World Warehouse, their discount banner. It was closed by 1991, and subdivided. Two big-chain supermarkets remain in this neighborhood -- one about a third of a mile southwest and the other one half a mile southeast. We'll be touring the smaller one tomorrow!

Original Grocery Tenant: A&P Address:  500 Grafton St, Union Hill, Worcester, MA Opened:  bet. 1952 and 1957 Closed:  bet. 1969 and 1973 Later Tenants:  assorted non-grocery tenants Photographed:  November 4, 2018 As soon as I saw the back of this building, I knew it had been a supermarket! The brick building with distinctive columns was built as an A&P in the 1950s -- it seems just before the centennial era -- then closed around 1970. I'm not positive what occupied the space after A&P, but I don't believe there was another supermarket. The store is around 10,000 square feet, although I'm not sure how much space there is in the basement. Tomorrow we're going a little farther out east on Grafton Street for another former supermarket!

Original Grocery Tenant: A&P Address: 337 Grafton St, Union Hill, Worcester, MA Opened:  bet. 1937 and 1943 Closed:  bet. 1949 and 1957 Later Tenants:  Iandoli Super Markets (open by 1957, closed bet. 1969 and 1973) Photographed:  November 7, 2020 We've discussed Iandoli's previously, and now it's time to see another of their former locations. This store was built around the late 1970s and, at just 7600 square feet, it's pretty small. It replaced an even older store dating back to the 1930s when A&P built a store closer to the street. Iandoli's later moved into the space in the 1950s, replacing the store about 20 years later. Here's a look at the A&P-turned-Iandoli's , along with some background on the chain. The Iandolis also owned the Austin Liquors and Honey Farms chains of liquor stores and convenience stores, respectively, but have sold both. This amazing sign remains, probably from opening day in the 70s! I spotted this while using the AT

Original Grocery Tenant: Fairway Beef Address: 48 Grafton St, Green Island, Worcester, MA Opened:  1946 Closed:  2021 Later Tenants:  none Photographed:  November 4, 2018 and October 11, 2021 It's quite the feat that two brothers, George and Jack Siegel, ran this butcher shop/grocery store for decades after their father started the business in 1946. The store finally closed in 2021 after running essentially the same for most of its life. That article also indicates that this area was once Worcester's meatpacking and sale district, but Fairway Beef was the last remaining business. Also in this neighborhood was the original home of C&S Wholesale Grocers, which eventually moved to the north to Brattleboro, VT and later their current home of Keene, NH. The store was around 6500 square feet and eventually is set to be redeveloped . The old-school sale sign facing Grafton Street outlived the store, actually. It remained up (barely) even well after the store closed. The entranc

Stop & Shop Opened:  2001 Owner:  Ahold Delhaize Previous Tenants:  none Future Tenants:  Food Bazaar (opening TBD) Cooperative:  none Location:  132 Fulton Ave, Hempstead, NY Photographed:  August 6, 2024 Here's a bit of late-breaking news from around midday yesterday: in addition to Stop & Shop locations in Carlstadt , Piscataway , Mount Vernon , and Coney Island , Food Bazaar has acquired this location, in the middle of downtown Hempstead, NY, on Long Island. (It does look like there are some delays remaining with Mount Vernon, as the other four are now appearing on the Food Bazaar store locator on their website, but that one isn't. Oddly, only Coney Island and Mount Vernon are appearing on Food Bazaar's app.) Mount Vernon and Coney Island both closed yesterday at 3pm, and Coney Island reopened this morning as Food Bazaar. The dates for the rest of the conversions are as follows, according to Google Maps listings: Hempstead opens 10/4/24, Carlstadt opens 10/18/24