A & P files for bankruptcy

[Bruce Wayne]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-...ompt-ahold-bid-for-pathmark-analysts-say.html

 

[Tomasso]

Hardly a surprise, A&P have been shrinking and shrinking for over a quarter of a century. They used to be HUGE.

 

[dhermann1]

Wow, I didn't realize they still existed at all. I still remember how amazed I was (as a little kid) to find out the the letters A & P stood for The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. That's such a great name for a company, it should be kept somehow. Maybe somebody can do to it what was done with Abercrombie and Fitch.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Maybe somebody can do to it what was done with Abercrombie and Fitch.

I dunno -- the thought of the A&P being turned into a boutique food store for spoiled teenage girls is rather horrifying. Jane Parker and Ann Page would roll in their graves.

 

[Fletch]

It'll never work. Teenage girls don't eat food. In my day at least, they subsisted entirely on chewing gum and the occasional diet cola.

Hey, you would know...Is it true about the radio jock who put on a transcription, went out for a smoke, and came back to find the switchboard all lit up? Supposedly the needle caught during a commercial and treated the listeners to ten solid minutes of: "Go to your A and P *thump* and P *thump* and P *thump* and P *thump* and P *thump* and P..."

 

[Tomasso]

Truthfully, I've never cared much for A&P but I do like their Food Emporium division.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It'll never work. Teenage girls don't eat food. In my day at least, they subsisted entirely on chewing gum and the occasional diet cola.

Hey, you would know...Is it true about the radio jock who put on a transcription, went out for a smoke, and came back to find the switchboard all lit up? Supposedly the needle caught during a commercial and treated the listeners to ten solid minutes of: "Go to your A and P *thump* and P *thump* and P *thump* and P *thump* and P *thump* and P..."

So goes the legend, but there's no documentation for it. Most likely an Uncle Don story, but you never know.

On the other hand, though, dignified old Milton J. Cross went to his grave insisting he did, indeed, once introduce the A&P Gypsies as the A&G Pipsies...

 

[skyvue]

On the other hand, though, dignified old Milton J. Cross went to his grave insisting he did, indeed, once introduce the A&P Gypsies as the A&G Pipsies...

Back in my youthful radio days, when required to introduce a remote broadcast from a local house of worship early one Sunday morning, I sleepily announced that we would now airing morning services from Trinity Baptist Bank.

I don't know if it was a reflection on that particular congregation or on the size of the radio station's audience, but I received not one phone call of complaint.

 

[Dan'l]

I'm with dhermman1, I thought they went out of business decades ago. Our local A&P did close it's doors when I was a young lad back in the 70's.

fftopic: I've also noticed there are not as many Piggly Wiggly's anymore.

 

[Wire9Vintage]

This will make teaching the John Updike story even more difficult.
Student: "What's an A&P?"

Ans. "It's like an HEB." (for Texas folk!)

 

[AtomicEraTom]

We've got one here, I go to the Wal-Mart next town over. Sadly, 50 bucks for one bag of Groceries at the Pig can't be justified when I get nearly a cart full at Wal-Mart for $100.

I'm with dhermman1, I thought they went out of business decades ago. Our local A&P did close it's doors when I was a young lad back in the 70's.

fftopic: I've also noticed there are not as many Piggly Wiggly's anymore.

 

[LizzieMaine]

A&P disappeared from Maine in the late '70s, but it was on the skids for quite a while before that -- I remember their stores as being dingy and rundown and usually in frowsy buildings. You'd go there if something was on special, but it wasn't a place you'd want to be seen coming out of. It was a step above the Red and White, but that wasn't saying too much in its favor. All the better people shopped across town at the First National.

(The A&P of my childhood is now a co-op, with most of the original fixtures still in use. Guess it was built sturdier than it looked.)

 

[Dan'l]

We've got one here, I go to the Wal-Mart next town over. Sadly, 50 bucks for one bag of Groceries at the Pig can't be justified when I get nearly a cart full at Wal-Mart for $100.

That seems to be the case everywhere. Wal-Mart can buy skid after skid of products much cheaper than "mom and pop" who only need half a skid or less for thier customers.

Hey AtomicEraTom, I've been to Pardeeville, WI a few times and hope to make it back some day :cool2:

Cheers,
Dan'l

 

[AtomicEraTom]

We go through the same thing with our gun shop here in town. My pa has such little markup on his inventory just to compete.

And if you're ever back in Pardeeville, feel free to stop into Dixie Law Enforcement Warehouse! I may just be in and would love to say hello!

That seems to be the case everywhere. Wal-Mart can buy skid after skid of products much cheaper than "mom and pop" who only need half a skid or less for thier customers.

Hey AtomicEraTom, I've been to Pardeeville, WI a few times and hope to make it back some day :cool2:

Cheers,
Dan'l