National Supermarkets

Defunct American grocery store chain

National logo used for both divisions in the USA

National Supermarkets was a grocery chain in both the St. Louis, Missouri, and New Orleans, Louisiana, areas of the United States. Both firms were owned by Loblaw Companies of Canada, but in June 1995, they were sold by Loblaw to Schnucks Markets.[1] Immediately after that, per the FTC, Schnucks sold the National New Orleans division to Schwegmann Brothers Giant Supermarkets of Metairie, Louisiana, which later sold them to Great A&P, which finally sold them to Rouse Markets in 2007. National itself had cemented the number two spot in St. Louis by acquiring several former Kroger locations and the Kroger distribution center in the market when the latter exited St. Louis in 1986. Kroger and National had been battling for the number two and three spots since the 1970s, swapping rankings several times over throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

New Orleans and St. Louis represented the last two divisions of National Supermarkets, a.k.a. National Tea, which originated in Chicago in 1899, making the chain one of the oldest in the USA. It was also one of the largest, ranking as the fifth largest in the late 1960s, only A&P, Safeway, Kroger, and Food Fair were larger. Loblaw bought the company in 1955. Among the chains National acquired were Miller's (Denver), Standard (Indianapolis), and Applebaum's (Minneapolis-St. Paul). Besides the National and Standard banners, Big D and Del Farm banners were used in the Midwest and That Stanley! was used in the South.

At its height, National's footprint extended from western Pennsylvania to Colorado, with stores in Denver, Sioux Falls, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, the Quad Cities, Indianapolis, Chicago, Youngstown, Memphis, and Nashville. It was the largest supermarket chain serving the Mississippi Valley. Major rivals included Jewel, Red Owl, Bettendorf-Rapp (Allied), Kroger, A&P, Dominick's, Eagle Food Centers, Hy-Vee, Marsh, Winn-Dixie, Hill's, Fisher/Fazio's/Costa, Thorofare, King Soopers, Albertsons, and Safeway, depending on the market.

National's logo was Loblaw's logo turned upside down to look like an "n" instead of an "L".

## Slogans

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At the height of their market share in the late 1960s, National Supermarkets' slogans used in television advertising included "Super National-Market" and "The Underpricer". In their final years in the 1980s and early 1990s, the National slogan in the St. Louis market was, "You're Important to Us!"

## Failed resurrection

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As a condition of buying National from Loblaws, Schnucks had to sell off 24 stores for anti-trust reasons. In 1996, Family Company of America, a group led by Belleville, Illinois, financial consultant James R. Gibson, bought 23 stores from Schnucks and reopened them under the name National Markets. However, the new National was unable to make much headway against Schnucks, despite a "Great Grocery Giveaway" promotion where random customers had their day's shopping given to them free of charge, and disappeared for good in April 1999.[2]

After the bankruptcy, it emerged that Gibson had financed the purchase with money embezzled from 183 clients of his investment company, among them orphans, accident victims who trusted Gibson to invest money from their settlements, and disabled people who trusted him with their life savings. In 2005, Gibson was sentenced to 40 years in prison for his crimes.[3] He will not be eligible for release until 2036, when he will be 91 years old.[4]

## National Supermarket murders

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Main article: 1987 St. Louis National Supermarkets shooting

Shortly after closing on September 4, 1987, at the National Supermarket at 4331 Natural Bridge Avenue in St. Louis, two men disguised as the cleaning crew made their way into the store where employees were preparing for the next day. They shot seven employees execution-style as they laid on the floor, killing five. It remains one of the worst mass murders in St. Louis history.[5]

## National Supermarkets—New Orleans division

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At the end of 1994, National operated 28 stores in the New Orleans area (in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama) under the following names:

* National
* Canal Villere
* Superstore
* That Stanley!
* The Real Superstore
* The Real Superstore Express
* The Real Uptown Superstore

The former "Real Uptown Superstore" building is still in operation as a Rouses supermarket.

Denham Springs, Louisiana, also had a National Supermarket (#18) that was simply known as "Superstore." The building is now a home furnishings store.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Schnuck Markets, Inc". Federal Trade Commission. June 9, 1995. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 4, 2011.
2. ^ Ghitelman, David. National Food's ex-owner hit with civil suit. Supermarket News, 1999-10-25.
3. ^ Man who stole from orphans sentenced to jail. Associated Press, 2005-09-21.
4. ^ Inmate information from Bureau of Prisons
5. ^ "31 years ago: A deadly night at the National Supermarket in St. Louis | Post-Dispatch Archives | stltoday.com". 4 September 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* History of National Supermarkets Archived 2009-02-18 at the Wayback Machine
* Website for National Supermarkets in St. Louis

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Supermarkets in the United States

Kroger|

* Dillons
* Baker's
* Gerbes
* Food 4 Less
* Fred Meyer
* Fry's
* Harris Teeter
* King Soopers
* City Market
* Kroger
* Jay C
* Pay Less
* QFC
* Ralphs
* Roundy's
* Ruler Foods
* Smith's

Albertsons|

* Acme
* Andronico's
* Albertsons
* Balducci's
* Carrs
* Haggen
* Jewel-Osco
* Kings Super Markets
* Lucky
* Pavilions
* Randalls
* Safeway
* Shaw's and Star Market
* Super Saver
* Tom Thumb
* United Supermarkets
* Vons

United Natural Foods|

* County Market
* Cub
* Shoppers

Ahold Delhaize|

* Food Lion
* Giant Food
* Giant Food Stores
* Hannaford
* Stop & Shop

Save Mart|

* Save Mart Supermarkets
* Lucky Stores
* Lucky California
* Food Maxx
* MaxxValue Foods

Amazon|

* Amazon Fresh
* Amazon Go
* Whole Foods

SpartanNash|

* D&W Fresh Market
* Family Fare
* Martin's Super Markets
* No Frills Supermarkets

Other national|

* Aldi
* Trader Joe's
* Costco
* Comissary/DeCa (military)
* The Fresh Market
* IGA
* Save-A-Lot
* Sprouts
* Target
* Walmart
* Sam's Club

Regional|

| Asian|

* 99 Ranch Market
* Great Wall Supermarket
* H Mart
* Hong Kong Supermarket
* Island Pacific Supermarket
* Kam Man Food
* Marukai
* Mitsuwa Marketplace
* Nijiya Market
* Patel Brothers
* Seafood City
* SF Supermarket
* Uwajimaya
* Zion Market

|

Hispanic|

* Bravo
* El Ahorro Supermarket
* Fiesta Mart
* La Perla Tapatía Supermarkets
* Sedano's
* Supermercados Teloloapan
* Vallarta Supermarkets

Organic|

* Earth Fare
* Fresh Thyme
* Natural Grocers

Wholesale|

* BJ's Wholesale Club
* Chef'Store

Other
regional|

* Acme Fresh Market
* Amigo
* Big Y
* Boyer's
* Bristol Farms
* Brookshire Brothers
* Brookshire's Food & Pharmacy
* Buehler's
* C-Town
* Central Market
* D'Agostino
* Dave's Markets
* Dean & DeLuca
* DeMoulas Market Basket
* Dierbergs
* Don Quijote
* Times Supermarkets
* Dorothy Lane Market
* Fairway Market
* Fareway
* Farm Fresh
* Festival Foods
* Festival Foods (Minnesota)
* Food Giant
* Food City
* Foodarama
* FoodLand
* Foodtown
* Pathmark
* Gelson's
* Gerland Corporation
* Gerrity's
* Giant Eagle
* Grand Union
* Gristedes
* Grocery Outlet
* Harmons
* Harps Food Stores
* H-E-B
* Heinen's
* Highland Park Market
* Homeland
* Hornbacher's
* Houchens
* Hugo's
* Hy-Vee
* Ingles
* Jerry's Foods
* Jungle Jim's International Market
* Karns Quality Foods
* Key Food
* Super Fresh
* The Food Emporium
* KJ's Market
* King Kullen
* Kowalski's Markets
* Kuhn's Quality Foods
* Lewis Food Town
* Lidl
* Lowe's Market
* Lowes Foods
* Lucky's Market
* Lunds & Byerlys
* Magruder's
* Marc's
* Market Basket (Louisiana and Texas)
* Market of Choice
* Masons Red Owl
* Meijer
* Met Foods
* Mollie Stone's Markets
* Morton Williams
* Mother's Market & Kitchen
* New Grand Mart
* New Seasons Market
* Niemann Foods
* Northeast Grocery
* Tops Friendly Markets
* Price Chopper Supermarkets
* Market 32
* Nugget Markets
* PCC Community Markets
* Petrini's
* Piggly Wiggly
* Pink Dot
* Price Chopper / Price Mart
* Publix
* Pueblo
* Raley's Supermarkets
* AJ's Fine Foods
* Bashas'
* Reasor's
* Redner's Markets
* Remke Markets
* Rice Epicurean Markets
* Ridley's Family Markets
* Roche Bros.
* Rosauers Supermarkets
* Rouses
* Russ's Market
* Schnucks
* Scolari's Food and Drug
* Seabra Foods
* Sellers Bros.
* Sendik's Food Market
* Sentry Foods
* Seven Mile Market
* Shop 'n Save
* Smart & Final
* Southeastern Grocers
* Harveys Supermarkets
* Winn-Dixie
* Stater Bros.
* Stew Leonard's
* Strack & Van Til
* Straub's Markets
* Sullivan Family of Companies
* Foodland Hawaii
* Supermercados Econo
* Supermercados Selectos
* Super Dollar Discount Foods
* Super King Markets
* Super One Foods
* Super Saver Foods (B&R Stores)
* United Grocery Outlet
* URM Stores
* Wakefern
* The Fresh Grocer
* Price Rite
* ShopRite
* Weaver Street Market
* Wegmans
* Weis Markets
* Westborn Market
* Western Beef
* WinCo Foods
* Woodman's Markets
* Yoke's Fresh Market
* Zabar's
* Zupan's Markets

Defunct|

* 365 by Whole Foods Market
* A-Mart
* A&P
* Food Basics
* Pathmark
* Waldbaum's
* ABCO Foods
* Alpha Beta
* AppleTree Markets
* Belle Foods
* Best Market
* Big Bear Stores
* Big Star Markets
* Bloom
* Bottom Dollar Food
* Bruno's
* Buttrey Food & Drug
* Byrd's
* Carter's Foods
* Chatham
* Clemens Markets
* Colonial Stores
* Dahl's Foods
* Daniel Reeves Stores
* David's Supermarkets
* Davis Food City
* Delchamps
* Dick's Supermarket
* Dominick's
* Eagle Food Centers
* Easy-Way Store
* Eberhard's
* Eisner Food Stores
* Farmer Jack
* Fazio's Shopping Bag
* Felpausch
* Finast
* Fisher Foods
* Food Fair
* Food World
* Food-a-rama
* Fresh & Easy
* Furr's
* Genuardi's
* Giant Open Air
* Glen's Markets
* Hamady
* Henry's Farmers Market
* Hills Supermarkets
* Hinky Dinky
* Jewel T
* Jitney Jungle
* Johnnie's Foodmaster
* Kohl's Food Stores
* Kessel Food Markets
* Laneco
* Market Basket (California)
* Marketside
* Mars
* Marsh Supermarkets
* Más Club
* Mi Pueblo Food Center
* Minyard Food Stores
* National Supermarkets
* National Tea
* Omni Superstore
* Owen's
* Penn Fruit
* Penn Traffic
* Pick-N-Pay Supermarkets
* Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co.
* Plus
* Purity Supreme
* Quality Markets
* QFI
* Rainbow Foods
* Red Food
* Reid's
* SaveRite
* Sage's
* Schaffer Stores Company
* Scott's
* Seaway Food Town
* Seessel's
* Shop 'n Save
* Simon David
* Skaggs Companies
* Southern Family Markets
* Stanley Stores
* Sunflower Farmers Market
* Sunflower Market
* Super Duper
* Sweetbay Supermarket
* Tidyman's
* Twin Valu
* Ukrop's Super Markets
* Valu King
* Victory Supermarkets
* Weingarten's
* Wild Oats Markets
* Xpect Discounts

* List of supermarket chains in the United States

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George Weston Limited

Corporate directors|

* Galen Weston Jr.
* Paviter Binning
* Andrew Ferrier
* Nancy Lockhart
* Sarabjit Marwah
* Gordon Nixon
* Robert Prichard
* Robert Sawyer
* Christi Strauss
* Barbara Stymiest

Food or drink brands|

* Arnie's Bagels
* Brownberry
* Country Harvest
* Exact
* George Weston Bakeries (Canada only)
* Interbake Foods
* No Name
* Wonder Bread (Canada only)*

Loblaw Companies brands|

* Dominion
* Fortinos
* Freshmart
* Loblaws
* Maxi
* No Frills
* Pharmaprix
* Provigo
* Real Atlantic Superstore
* Real Canadian Superstore
* Liquorstore
* Shoppers Drug Mart
* SuperValu
* T&T Supermarket
* Valu-mart
* Wholesale Club
* Your Independent Grocer
* Zehrs Markets
* Joe Fresh

President's Choice brands|

* PC Express
* PC Financial
* PC Mobile
* PC Optimum

Properties|

* Maple Leaf Gardens (Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens)
* Memorial Stadium (Dominion at Memorial Stadium)
* Weston Centre (Toronto)

Defunct|

* Econo-Mart
* Extra Foods
* National Supermarkets
* SaveEasy
* Tamblyn Drugs

* *Rights to these brands in the United States are owned by different companies.

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Other|

* Yale LUX

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