Date: Fri 13-Aug-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Grand-Union-business

Full Text:

Grand Union Hangs In There, Despite Big Store Competition

(with photo)

BY STEVE BIGHAM

It has been more than a year since the Big Y Supermarket opened its doors for

business on Queen Street. When the store opened, many felt it might be

doomsday for Grand Union, which had been in town for more than 40 years.

This is it, they predicted. The last of the "small" grocery stores will

finally be gone. Grand Union will end up atop the heap of former Newtown

grocery stores, including the IGA, A&P, and the like. There is no way they can

compete with a "World Class Market," many said

And during that first week of Big Y Food's arrival, the Grand Union parking

lot was empty. Everyone rushed to the new store. The great deals, the large

selection, and the modern store design was too good to ignore. In time,

though, many shoppers returned to Grand Union. They liked shopping there.

"I still go other places sometimes, but I do most of my shopping here," said

Newtown resident Elaine Sullivan. "I like the Grand Union's produce. It's

packaged prettier elsewhere, but the prices and the quality I always find

better, fresh fruits especially."

Grand Union shoppers say they can find things more easily at the Queen Street

supermarket, too. The older shoppers especially like that.

"We have people who have been coming in here for years," noted grocery manager

Mark Werden. "People left for a while, but they came back."

Grand Union officials say business will never return to its original state,

but the store continues to thrive thanks to loyal customers, good customer

service, reasonable prices and no gimmicks.

"Everything is straight up here. What you see is what you get," noted deli

manager Mike Calabrese.

Last year's rumors of a Grand Union closing were soon followed by rumors that

Big Y planned to close up shop after an up and down first year. Both rumors

were obviously untrue as the two stores continue to do business side by side.

Store manager Jessie McLaren has been employed by the Newtown store for more

than 12 years. Grand Union opened in Newtown in 1957.

Unlike Grand Union and Super Stop & Shop, Big Y's employees are not unionized.

According to The Bee 's Vox Populi on-line poll in June, 49 percent of the

respondents shop at Super Stop & Shop, 43 percent head to the Big Y, and seven

percent go to Grand Union.