The Market Report

Yesterday we saw the independent grocers of eastern Worcester -- some going back decades -- and now it's time to see a few buildings that once were grocery stores but no longer are. A note on historical sources:  To get past stores in each location, I've consulted Worcester city directories going back to the 1910s. Here in the city, I'm drawing from  1916, 1922, 1927, 1931, 1937, 1943, 1959, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1979, 1985, 1991, 2000, 2009, and 2017.  Also of note: this is far from an exhaustive listing of all grocery stores that have been in this area, although I'll probably eventually post the full thing, this is just what I've been able to photograph. Reading the captions:  A caption such as the following...          |  John Smith (1926-1937) > Joe Jones (1955-1982) ...means that John Smith appears in the directories in 1926 and 1937, and Joe Jones appears in all directories I consulted between 1955 and 1982. That doesn'...

We're going to take a look at some (almost all) of the independent grocers in the southeastern part of Worcester -- we'll be starting in the Green Island/Canal District area, then Union Hill, Franklin Plantation, Vernon Hill, and finally way out to Grafton Hill. There's a lot of little grocery stores here, ranging from ethnic markets to convenience stores to produce markets, so let's check them out! A note on historical sources:  To get "past stores" in each location, I've consulted Worcester city directories going back to the 1910s. Here in the city, I'm drawing from  1916, 1922, 1927, 1931, 1937, 1943, 1959, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1979, 1985, 1991, 2000, 2009, and 2017.  Also of note: this is far from an exhaustive listing of all grocery stores that have been in this area, although I'll probably eventually post the full thing, this is just what I've been able to photograph. Reading the captions:  A caption such as the following...     ...

  Moving to the east of downtown, we're going to pass through Green Island and the Canal District to then cross route 290 and head up into the hilly parts of the city -- Union Hill, Vernon Hill, and Grafton Hill between downtown and Shrewsbury to the east. There aren't a whole lot of supermarkets in this area -- and an incredibly short-lived Shaw's was demolished right next to route 290 after only two years. But the various Hills have lots of former grocery stores and there are a few chain stores out by the Shrewsbury border that we'll be taking a look at. On Monday, we're starting with a former grocer right outside of downtown! And here's another last-minute post on a closing Stop & Shop location on Long Island!