John oldskookl,
FJ closed in July 2007, after 86 years. The chain was founded by Al and Tom Borman.
It grew to 85 stores by 1988, then was bought by the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea company. The newly merged chain comprised 140 stores in the area. Some underwent name changes to A&P, and some to Farmer Jack. After a few years, the FJ stores were doing better so the A&P name was dropped in the area and smaller less performing stored replaced, or closed. Erivan Haub retired, and his son took the helm. I had the opportunity to meet him. Nice man, good people. They kept it going 20 more years.
New stores were still opening in 2004, still with 110 stores, then bad things began to happen.
Some bad decisions were made on buying a small Toledo chain which used to carry locally sourced items. When their loyal shoppers couldn't get those items, they stopped shopping in those 7 stores.
The recession and manufacturing decline saw the Flint area stores close first, and a new Walmart in Port Huron, etc. continued to unlevel the playing field in price, and some labor cost. Prices were comparable to Kroger, and Meijer stores.
Some was no doubt political, as older employees were retiring in larger numbers, but the bulk of the full time labor force was an older group.
Category buyers were over buying, then tacking the bill onto the next years accounting. It caught up with them after Katrina hit New Orleans. The Detroit office was doing the accounting for that division, and those were the first salaried lay off's. A few of those executives now work for Nash Spartain.
A Food Basics marketing scheme of discount stores was tried out without success.
By 2006 there were 66 stores left. The recession in Detroit was in full swing, and A&P decided to pull the plug. Kroger purchased 22 stores, and hired a small amount of employees. Some others are still empty.
A&P purchased 140 Pathmark stores in NJ, and NY after closing Farmer Jack.
Om Jan. 1 of 2010, A&P filed bankruptcy, then the Pathmark stores also all closed. A&P became totally defunct as well.
Christian Haub started Shop Rite stores, and has since sold them.
The Haub Family, originally of Mulheim Germany, then Washington state, were major donors to St. Joseph university business school in Philadelphia.
Erivan and Helga Haub retired in Wiesbaden Germany, after divesting all interest in A&P upon or before news of the 2010 bankruptcy. Shulde', or debt is an embarrassment.
Guten tag! Das sonne hat im der Schwarzwald bei shinnen. Chuse.
