Acme Markets history

The first attempt at multiple store operation ran headlong into the Panic of 1893, brought on by agricultural depression, over-optimistic expansion of both industry and the railroads, and the silver policy of the government.

In 1899, Frank Ross and his brother-in-law Frank Skiff, start their company with $700, a rented horse, and a secondhand wagon.

In 1900, Fred W. went to Philadelphia and visited one of the first chain grocery companies in the nation, called “The Acme Stores”. They were painted yellow and conducted cash only sales.

With $1,200 in savings, Charles Von de Ahe opens his 20-foot wide Groceteria on the corner of 7th and Figueroa in Los Angeles in 1906.

Prior to the First World War William Park had come to Philadelphia from his father's farm in Caro, Michigan, and his food industry career began as dairy products buyer for Robinson & Crawford in 1912.

The pace of store openings quickened, and by 1913 five rival chains were operating a total of some 700 stores.

An ambitious young man in the small Idaho town of America Falls in 1915, M.B. Skaggs gets into the business and purchases a tiny grocery store from his father.

In 1916, founder, H.D. Snell, opens his first United Cash Store.

In 1917, Robinson and Crawford merged with four other local Philadelphia area grocery chains to form the American Stores Company, or ASCO as it was known to shoppers.

In 1919, Davis purchases the George C. Shaw Company of Portland, Maine, and operates the two companies independently.

James K. Robinson was elected a vice president in 1920.

from a 1923 advertisement of American Stores Company featuring its Asco and Louella brands

Safeway Inc. is founded in 1926 when M.B. Skaggs merges his 428 Skaggs stores with 322 Safeway (formerly Selig) stores.

American Stores Company stock was first listed for trading on the New York Stock Exchange on April 25, 1929.

The multiple properties along E. Lancaster Avenue to the south of I. Walter Conner were twin homes, soon to be demolished for parking spaces and a new bank building. (1930 Sanborn map of Wayne, sheet 4)

Later the Willistown acreage was increased to 392 acres, and in November 1932 he purchased an adjoining farm of 152 acres, known as Westwood Farm, at Darby and Grubbs Millroads in Easttown Township, from John McPhillips.

In 1934, Jewel closes all stores for three days.

The percherons and saddle horses from Crebilly Farm, which he established just south of West Chester in 1935, were widely known.

Interestingly, an A&P store opened in 1936 at 125-129 North Wayne Avenue, right next door, as photographed in the October 2, 1936 Suburban.

Park's term as president began in 1937 when Samuel Robinson retired.

The 1939 Lancaster Avenue store was much larger than the North Wayne Avenue store, but only street parking was available.

After the settlement of the butchers' strike in 1941 a new six-day, 48- hour week was established -- with no cut in wages from the previous pay that had been based on 58 hours' work.

Although he had retired many years earlier, he continued as a member of the company's board of directors until his death. (His partner in the old Robinson & Crawford grocery business, Robert H. Crawford, had died during the Second World War, on July 26, 1942.)

The armed forces used frozen foods in tremendous quantities, and when they were removed from the ration list in 1944, a stampede began.

In 1946 he retired as vice-president and treasurer of American Stores, to the farm.

James K. Robinson retired as vice-president and general manager of American Stores in 1948, and died in February the following year.

On November 2, 1949, a new Wayne Acme opened at 127 West Lancaster Avenue after three months of construction.

The 1950’s brought the era of the Supermarket and Acme began to modernize its stores and adapting to trends and new technologies.

(An example of his merchandising skill was a very successful promotion scheme he had orchestrated for the Acme Markets in and around Philadelphia during the late summer of 1953, when Acme sponsored the first "Grocery Bowl" football game.

He started his retail career with Buttrey Food Stores, part of Jewel Food, in Montana in 1954 as a carry-out boy and meat wrapper.

By 1955, the year Park was succeeded by Paul Cupp as president, average store sales were $10,600 weekly and the total sales that year exceeded $611 million.

Response was immediate and dramatic, as sales soared in 1956, buoyed also by one of two post-war acquisitions in New York state.

Negotiations for what was by far the most important acquisition for American Stores took place during the fall of 1960, when Cupp engineered a combination with the southern California chain of Alpha Beta Food Markets, Inc.

In recognition of the increasing importance of the Acme supermarkets, the name of the company was officially changed from American Stores Company to Acme Markets, Inc. on June 2, 1962.

A company investment outside the grocery field, made in 1964, initiated a program of diversification.

John R. Park became the company's fourth president in 1965, succeeding Paul Cupp, and added the title chief executive officer two years later, when the latter stepped aside.

The Acme in Berwyn moved east along Lancaster Avenue to a location in the new Berwyn Shopping Center at the eastern edge of the village, where a 21,000 square foot supermarket was opened on November 20, 1966.

During this period, in 1968, Acme hit the $1 billion mark in annual sales for the first time.

He also recognized that the growing popularity of fast foods was taking place at the expense of food sold in supermarkets, and in 1969 Acme entered the fast-food franchise field when it made an agreement with Hardee's to act as its franchise agent in Acme's eastern operating territory.

In August 1970 Acme Markets sold publicly a $25 million debenture issue.

Following the corporate restructuring, at the end of 1973 Acme's parent, American Stores Company, moved into offices in the Rollins Plaza Building on Route 202 north of Wilmington.

Named president of the new Acme organization, as of January 1, 1974, was Peter F. McGoldrick, formerly a group vice-president of Jewel Food Stores, a Chicago area food chain.

William Radcliffe Deeley arrived at the Rollins Plaza offices in 1976 as the fifth president of American Stores, succeeding John Park, effective August 1.

In 1977 he was elected to serve also as the chief executive officer, with John Park retaining the position of chairman of the Board.

Both chains were operated by Food Fair, which went bankrupt and was bought by Acme in 1978.

But in January 1979 the daily number of shares of American Stores stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange began to climb far above its norm.

A Pantry Pride store until 1980, this store was heavily renovated within the last few years and is likely to remain open for years to come.

King's contributions at Acme were recognized when he was promoted to be president and chief operating officer of the parent American Stores Company in Salt Lake City, effective February 2, 1986.

In 1987, a 230,000 square foot expansion is added to the building.

A milestone was also reached during the Christmas 1989 sales season when an Acme located in Philadelphia became the first store in the company's history to have weekly sales of $1 million!

Fry, C. Herbert. “‘The House that Quality Built’ : A Brief History of the American Stores Company.” Tredyffrin Easttown History Club History Quarterly, April 1991, 43-64.

Safeway Inc. acquired a 35% stake in Vons, and the two companies fully merged in 1997.

Albertsons LLC successfully acquires all of the remaining assets purchased by SUPERVALU in 2006, re-establishes the corporate headquarters in Boise, and brings a fresh approach to Boise’s favorite hometown grocery store.

The following is an expanded version of an article that appeared in the 2010 RHS Bulletin.

© 2021 Albertsons Companies.