Stop & Shop

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, LLC.
	File:Stop & Shop 2018 logo.svg
	A brown 10 story office building, headquarters building of Stop & Shop supermarket/store chain in Quincy Center Stop & Shop headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts
Trade name	Stop & Shop
Formerly	Economy Grocery Stores Company; (1914–1946);
Company type	Subsidiary of Ahold Delhaize
Industry	Retail
Predecessor	Greenie Store (1892–1908)
Founded	1914 (112 years ago) in Somerville, Massachusetts, United States
Founder	The Rabinovitz/Rabb family
Headquarters	Quincy, Massachusetts, United States
Number of locations	365 stores (2025)
Areas served	Template:Ublist
Products	Template:Ublist
Revenue	Increase US$15.2 billion 3.25% (2015)
Number of employees	82,000+
Parent	Ahold Delhaize
Website	stopandshop.com

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company, commonly referred to as Stop & Shop, operates as a regional grocery chain with its corporate headquarters situated in Quincy, Massachusetts. As of 2025, the company manages 365 retail outlets throughout the northeastern United States. Established originally in 1892 by the Rabinovitz family, it has grown into a significant retail entity offering a broad spectrum of products including bakery items, groceries, pharmacy services, and fuel.

After becoming fully owned by the Dutch retailer Ahold in 1995, Stop & Shop has been integrated into Ahold’s expansion strategy targeting New England and adjacent markets. From 2004 until 2011, it functioned jointly with its affiliate Giant-Landover under the combined division named Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover.

A major corporate milestone occurred on June 24, 2015, when Ahold revealed plans to merge with the Brussels-based Delhaize Group, which owns U.S. grocery chains Hannaford and Food Lion. This merger was finalized on July 24, 2016, resulting in the creation of the holding company Ahold Delhaize. This alliance strengthened Stop & Shop’s market position by bringing together prominent regional brands and broadening its reach across the northeastern U.S.

Early Years

The origins of Stop & Shop date back to 1892 when Solomon and Jeanie Rabinowitz launched the Greenie Store in Boston’s North End. The business was formally established in 1914 as Economy Grocery Stores Company in Somerville, Massachusetts by the Rabinowitz family. By 1918, the company had adopted the self-service supermarket format. The chain experienced rapid growth, expanding to 15 locations by 1917 and reaching 86 stores by 1946. That year marked a rebranding to Stop & Shop, Inc. Initially centered on grocery items, the company quickly broadened its offerings to include meats, produce, dairy products, and frozen goods—helping to pioneer the modern supermarket model within the Boston and Springfield regions.

Pre-1980s

By 1959, Stop & Shop had grown to operate 100 locations, expanding its footprint into suburban areas of Massachusetts as well as neighboring states like Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and New Jersey. The 1961 purchase of Bradlees department stores represented a deliberate expansion into non-grocery retail sectors. Stop & Shop merged Bradlees with smaller chains such as ORBIT'S to establish Family Centers that provided comprehensive shopping experiences under one roof. Additionally, the company managed Medi-Mart pharmacies and Perkins Tobacco outlets, thereby diversifying its range of products and services.

1980s

At the start of the 1980s, Stop & Shop maintained supermarkets averaging approximately 30,000 square feet across five states. Facing competitive pressures, the company exited the New Jersey market in 1982 by selling most stores to A&P and other regional competitors. That same year introduced Stop & Shop’s inaugural superstore in Pembroke, Massachusetts—larger retail spaces between 45,000 and 80,000 square feet featuring expanded departments such as bakeries, pharmacies, delis, cafes, and general merchandise aimed at enhancing customer appeal and increasing market share. Throughout the decade, many traditional supermarkets were either converted into or replaced by these larger superstores.

In 1985, Stop & Shop acquired the discount chain Almy's but closed all remaining locations by 1987. Toward the late 1980s, following a hostile takeover attempt by Herbert Haft's Dart Group, private equity firm KKR completed a leveraged buyout of Stop & Shop. Subsequently, Medi-Mart was sold to Walgreens while Bradlees was spun off as an independent entity. KKR explored potential mergers with Safeway but eventually opted to take Stop & Shop public once again. By 1990, operations were concentrated mainly in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts with only a limited presence in New York.

1990s

In 1994, Giant-Landover extended its reach into Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey using the Super G brand to differentiate from Giant Food Stores based in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. By 2005, Stop & Shop/Giant discontinued the Super G brand in New Jersey and Delaware; four New Jersey Super G stores were closed while eight were converted to Super Stop & Shop under Stop & Shop's New York Sales Division in an effort to improve sales performance. Continued struggles led to their sale in 2007 to ShopRite franchise operators. Delaware Super G locations were remodeled into Super Stop & Shop stores and reopened under the Super Giant name. In Pennsylvania, Super G stores situated near Giant-Carlisle outlets were rebranded as Giant while retaining union representation.

Stop & Shop acquired rival Purity Supreme supermarkets in 1995 for roughly $255 million. This acquisition boosted combined revenue to about $4.7 billion and moved Stop & Shop from the 14th to the 12th largest grocery chain nationwide.

In 1996, Dutch retailer Ahold USA purchased Stop & Shop; Ahold had previously acquired First National Supermarkets—which operated Edwards Super Food Stores and Finast chains throughout Connecticut. Due to antitrust concerns raised by Connecticut’s Attorney General regarding market concentration, Ahold consolidated its New England operations under the Stop & Shop name while divesting some locations to Shaw's, ShopRite, and Grand Union. Additionally, Ahold expanded Edwards stores into New York and New Jersey by converting 26 independently owned Mayfair Foodtown outlets.

Several new Super Stop & Shop locations opened around Poughkeepsie during 1998 and 1999.

In 1999, Ahold initiated merger discussions with Pathmark of New Jersey aiming to acquire and rebrand Edwards and Giant stores under its own banner. Regulatory authorities blocked this deal due to fears over excessive market dominance in New York and Pennsylvania. After rejecting divestiture conditions required by regulators, Ahold withdrew from the merger talks.

2000s

In 2000, Ahold phased out the Edwards brand, reinstating the Stop & Shop name in the New York region and fully retiring the Edwards label by the end of that year.

The following year, 2001, saw Ahold broaden Stop & Shop’s reach into New Jersey and New York, capitalizing on Grand Union’s bankruptcy. C&S Wholesale Grocers acquired a number of Grand Union outlets, downsizing them and selling many to Ahold, which then supplied products and rebranded these stores as Stop & Shop by mid-2001.

Further expansion occurred in 2003 when Ahold purchased multiple A&P Foodmart stores located throughout Hartford, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. In 2004, Stop & Shop combined forces with Giant Food to create Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover.

In 2006, Stop & Shop collaborated with Starbucks to install licensed coffee shops inside select supermarkets while maintaining Dunkin' Donuts locations within certain stores. That same year introduced the Shopping Buddy pilot program in Massachusetts and Connecticut outlets—a personal shopping assistant service allowing customers to monitor purchases and bag items as they shopped.

October 2007 featured a pioneering advertising initiative that encouraged customers to contribute content online to promote the brand, showcasing early use of Web 2.0 marketing techniques.

Stop & Shop attempted to enter northern New England markets in 2007 by opening a store in Rutland, Vermont; this location was later sold to Delhaize, which reopened it under its Hannaford banner in 2008. Additionally, a store launched in Kennebunk, Maine in July 2007 but closed by October 2009 due to underperformance; plans for a second Maine store were subsequently abandoned. Delhaize acquired the Kennebunk site and reopened it as a Hannaford store.

On August 22, 2008, Stop & Shop unveiled a refreshed logo as part of a rebranding effort alongside Giant-Landover. By August 2009, the company announced it would close or rebrand many of the licensed Starbucks locations introduced two years prior.

2010s

By late 2013, Stop & Shop had established a significant footprint across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, with additional outlets in New York and New Jersey. The chain withdrew from northern New England after closing its remaining six stores in New Hampshire by August 2013. Over the following two years, several Connecticut stores also ceased operations.

In April 2015, construction began on an anaerobic digester at Stop & Shop’s Freetown distribution center in Massachusetts; this facility now generates approximately 40% of the center’s electricity needs. In July 2015, the company announced intentions to acquire 25 stores from the bankrupt A&P chain—including its top-performing Mt. Kisco location in New York—with plans to convert them into Stop & Shop stores by November. Bankruptcy court approval was granted in September 2015. Many of these acquired outlets had previously operated under the Pathmark or Waldbaum's brands formerly owned by A&P. By March 2018, Stop & Shop managed a total of 411 stores throughout southern New England, downstate New York, and northern New Jersey.

In October 2018, Stop & Shop launched a $70 million renovation project for its Hartford, Connecticut stores featuring additions such as cafes, meat smokers, smoothie bars, and taqueria stations. These locations also served as testing grounds for an updated logo as part of an overall brand refresh.

On January 4, 2019, Stop & Shop announced its acquisition of King Kullen supermarket chain on Long Island, adding 32 King Kullen stores along with five Wild By Nature outlets to its portfolio.

2020s

On April 17, 2020, Stop & Shop announced that the acquisition of King Kullen was expected to finalize by April 30, 2020. Nevertheless, the agreement was called off on June 10, 2020, citing "unexpected shifts in the market," resulting in King Kullen remaining independent.

On July 12, 2024, Stop & Shop disclosed intentions to shut down 32 stores that were underperforming by November 2, 2024. This decision is part of a strategic effort to enhance financial outcomes amid heightened competition and escalating operational expenses.

Criticism

In 1999, a Stop & Shop-affiliated shell company sold a property in Quincy, Massachusetts, which included deed restrictions preventing the sale of fresh produce and other grocery items for a duration of 99 years. Subsequently, the site was developed into a car dealership located directly opposite a Stop & Shop store.

In 2003, Connecticut's Attorney General Richard Blumenthal examined Stop & Shop’s land acquisition methods and alleged anti-competitive conduct dating back to the early 1990s. Although no antitrust violations were confirmed, consumer advocates condemned the approach for restricting supermarket competition and limiting consumer options.

Similarly, in 2006, another shell company connected to Stop & Shop placed comparable deed restrictions on a property in Harwich, Massachusetts prior to its sale. These limitations, which include specific pet food brands, can remain effective for up to 90 years.

2007

On February 17, 2007, Stop & Shop’s collective bargaining agreements with its workforce expired after a three-year term. Union members threatened strike action to preserve existing healthcare benefits, whereas Stop & Shop proposed that employees begin contributing toward healthcare costs. The company suggested weekly payments ranging from $5 to $21 on top of current co-pays and deductibles, with increases phased over the three-year contract period.

By February 23, 2007, union members across Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts voted against a contract proposal and authorized strike action. Contracts for United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 328, 371, 919, 1445, and 1459 had expired on February 17 but were extended twice to facilitate ongoing negotiations into early March. Both parties continued discussions aiming to prevent work stoppages.

On March 3, unions presented a comprehensive contract proposal encompassing all five agreements. The voting on this new contract was scheduled for March 12 and involved around 43,000 unionized employees in New England. A strike loomed if no consensus was reached.

Negotiations ultimately ended with union members ratifying a three-year contract that avoided a strike. The deal included wage increases, retroactive pay adjustments, and modified health insurance provisions: full-time employees agreed to weekly healthcare contributions while part-time workers remained exempt from premiums; coverage otherwise continued unchanged except for existing co-pays and deductibles.

2019

The collective bargaining agreement between Stop & Shop and its unionized workforce from 2016 expired on February 23, 2019. Negotiations commenced in January between Stop & Shop and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents approximately 30,000 employees throughout New England. Early discussions appeared promising but collapsed after the company proposed removing premium pay for holidays and Sundays, freezing wage increases, cutting pension contributions, and raising healthcare expenses. UFCW Local 1445 in Massachusetts authorized strike action on February 24; other locals followed suit in March as talks stalled.

Federal mediators were brought in during early April after unions rejected Stop & Shop’s final offer. Negotiations failed on April 10 leading to a strike beginning April 11. The strike received public backing from notable political figures such as Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, and Elizabeth Warren who actively supported workers’ efforts. Lasting eleven days, the strike concluded on April 21. In August of that year, Ahold Delhaize reported that the strike resulted in a $345 million sales decline for Stop & Shop.

Price variations

In 2023, students from the Hyde Square Task Force examined the pricing differences between Stop & Shop outlets situated in Boston's economically challenged Jamaica Plain neighborhood and the more affluent Dedham area. Their research revealed that the store in Jamaica Plain charged customers more than $2,800 extra per year compared to the Dedham branch, despite the two locations being only eight miles apart. Stop & Shop stated that their pricing strategies are confidential and depend on a variety of factors. This study attracted the attention of Massachusetts legislators and Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

References

External links