GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA COMPANY (THE)

GREAT ATLANTIC & PACIFIC TEA COMPANY (THE). A&P began in 1859 as a small chain of retail tea and coffee stores in New York City and a national mail order business. It grew to 70 stores by 1878. In the late 19th century, A&P, still a tea and coffee company, became the country's first grocery chain. At the turn of the century, it operated almost 200 stores. (1)

The company grew dramatically after introducing the economy store concept in 1912, growing to 1,600 stores in 1915. After WORLD WAR I, the company opened stores offering meat and produce. In 1930 the company, now the world's largest retailer, reached $1 billion in sales with 16,000 stores. In 1936, A&P adopted the self-serve supermarket concept and opened 4,000 larger stores by 1950. (2)

A & P opened a store in Dubuque in 1938 at 13th and Iowa. This led to the closing of the A & P operated at 1382 Central. Iowa-grown foods were featured as was free parking space. (3)

A&P's decline began in the 1950s when it failed to keep pace with chains which opened larger, modern supermarkets with features demanded by customers. By the 1970s, A&P stores were out of date; its efforts to combat high operating costs resulted in poor customer service. In 1975, the company hired outside management, closing older stores and building modern ones. When these efforts failed to turn the company around, the heirs of the original owners, and foundations that owned a majority of the stock, sold to the German Tengelmann Group. A&P then launched a store-closing program financed by the surplus assets of its pension plan. (4)

1938 opening of new A & P at 13th and Iowa. Photo courtesy: Telegraph Herald

Starting in 1982, A&P acquired several chains; these stores operated through their names rather than A&P. While A&P regained profitability in the 1980s, in 2002 it operated at a record loss because of new competition, especially Wal-Mart. A&P closed more stores, which included the sale of its large Canadian division. In 2007, A&P purchased Pathmark, one of its toughest competitors; A&P again became the largest supermarket chain in the New York City area. The company experienced financial difficulties because of the recession and filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2010. In late 2011, A&P implemented a restructuring plan to emerge from bankruptcy. (5)

On March 13, 2012, it was announced that A&P had emerged from bankruptcy and was now a private company. (6)

Based on 2009 revenue, A&P was the 34th largest retailer in the US. From 1915 through 1975, it was the largest food retailer in the nation (until 1965, the largest US retailer of any kind). The Wall Street Journal, in an editorial on December 10, 2010, said that "A&P was as well known as McDonald's or Google is today" and that A&P was "Wal-Mart before Wal-Mart." (7)

The 1923 Dubuque City Directory listed 197 Locust, 1013 Main, 1540 and 2204 Central.

The 1929 Dubuque City Directory listed 784 Main, 1540 and 2204 Central, 2700 Jackson, and 1091 Julien.

The 1934 Dubuque City Directory listed 1382 and 2204 Central, 2700 Jackson, 1085 Julien and 784 Main.

The 1937 Dubuque Consurvey Directory listed 1382 and 2204 Central, 2700 Jackson, and 784 Main.

The 1939 Dubuque City Directory listed 2700 Jackson and 100 W. 13th.

The 1941 Dubuque City Directory and 1942 Dubuque Classified Business Directory listed 100 W. 13th.

The 1945 Dubuque City Directory listed 99 W. 13th and 2700 Jackson.

The 1948 Dubuque Classified Business Directory listed 99 W. 13th.

The 1951 through 1959 Dubuque City Directory listed 1101 Central.

The 1962 through 1970 Dubuque City Directory listed 1101 Central and 2685 Dodge.

The 1972 through 1977 Dubuque City Directory listed 3333 Asbury Road.

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Source:

1. "The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company," Wikipedia, Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Atlantic_%26_Pacific_Tea_Company

2. Ibid.

3. "A & P Opening New Store Here," Telegraph-Herald, December 20, 1938, p. 10

4. "The Great Atlantic..."

5. Ibid.

See: SUPERMARKET (FIRST)