Big Bear Stores

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Big Bear
Type Supermarket
Founded 1933
Headquarters Columbus, Ohio
Industry Retail
Products Bakery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, general grocery, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks, liquor
Website None

Big Bear Stores was a regional supermarket chain operating in Ohio and West Virginia. The company was founded in Columbus, Ohio, and was headquartered there until its acquisition by Syracuse, New York-based Penn Traffic in 1989. For nearly 75 years, the chain was a Central Ohio institution.

Contents

[edit] History

Big Bear Stores was founded in November 1933, in the depths of depression, by Wayne E. Brown, a dynamic individual with his own vision of the future of food distribution and retailing. The first Big Bear Store opened on February 15, 1934 on West Lane Avenue in Columbus, Ohio in what was once a dance hall, a roller skating rink, and finally a tan bark ring for horse shows, the first Big Bear store opened - the beginning of self service supermarketing in the Midwest. This first store was adjacent to the campus of the Ohio State University (now the site of the Riverwatch Tower apartments); Within a year, a second store opened in Columbus. By the end of the second year, two more stores had been opened, followed by stores in Lancaster, Marion, Newark and Toledo.

It was the first self-serve supermarket in the Midwest, and was the first supermarket in the country to use cashier-operated motorized conveyor belts, and claimed several innovative services, including its own trolley line. Big Bear introduced shopping carts to their stores in 1937. Big Bear operated a farm north of Columbus (later the site of store #272), as well as the Big Bear Bakery, located near the OSU campus. In 1948, Brown, along with other supermarket operators, founded Topco Associates, and Big Bear distributed their products (i.e. Food Club, Valu Time) as their "house brand", as well as their own private brand "Betty Brown", named after the founder's wife. Like many other stores, Big Bear had a trading stamp program. For many years their orange and blue "Buckeye" stamps were a familiar sight for shoppers.

In the 1950s, Big Bear became the first supermarket in the nation to use new IBM 305 RAMAC mainframe computer. In 1954, a new prototype store was opened in north Columbus' Graceland Shopping Center. With an interior store layout that became an industry standard, the store featured perishable items in the center of the stores and lower displays to highlight products. In the same year, Big Bear Stores Co. purchased Harts Stores, a department store that was operating at the time in the basements of two Big Bears. Harts experienced rapid growth, as Big Bear often opened grocery stores along with a Harts Department Store in an adjacent space.

Over time, Big Bear became a major supermarket chain in Ohio and West Virginia. In July 1988 the company started its hyperstore Big Bear Plus concept in Wintersville, Ohio (140,000 sq ft (13,000 m²)) and Bridgeport, Ohio (100,000 sq ft (10,000 m²)) the stores featured 40 percent food and 60 percent general merchandise. The hyperstore concept was a combination of its Harts Stores (29 stores as of 1991) and the Big Bear Grocery format.

Towards the end of 1990 the company decided to favor the Big Bear Plus store format over the Harts general merchandise format and started to slowly shutter or convert all remaining Harts locations. In 1991, ten side-by-side Big Bear and Harts locations were converted to the Big Bear Plus format. Before the demise of the company there were 21 Big Bear Plus stores.

[edit] Savings card

Big Bear Stores savings card was known as the "Big Bear Wild Card". After Penn-Traffic announced that Big Bear was ceasing operations, Kroger announced that it would now honor the Big Bear Wild Cards at their stores.

[edit] Slogans

  • You'll Be Surprised By A Big Bear (late 70's-1981)
  • Get The Bear Minimum Price! (1981-1986)
  • That's My Bear (1986-1987)
  • Give 'Em A Big Bear Hug! (1987-2004)

[edit] Big Bear Credit Union

The credit union was founded in June, 1957 as Big Bear Employees Credit Union by a group of employees that worked for the former Big Bear Stores Company. The credit union's office was located within the headquarters of the Big Bear Stores Company, located at 770 W. Goodale Blvd. in Columbus, Ohio. In 1983, the credit union moved its office to a Big Bear Stores satellite office, located at 1184 Dublin Road in Columbus. The new location allowed the credit union to double its space, and provided enough room for six employees. In 1990, the credit union moved into its first office with its own public entrance, located in converted warehouse space at 851 W. 3rd Avenue in Columbus. In March 2003, noting that only fifteen percent of the credit union's members were employed by Big Bear Stores Company, the credit union's membership voted to change the name of the credit union to Members First Credit Union, providing the credit union with a brand new identity. By the end of 2003, Big Bear Stores announced that their company would cease operations by the beginning of 2004. In March of 2004, the credit union moved into a newly built facility, located at 1445 W. Goodale Blvd. in the heart of the Grandview / Marble Cliff area.

[edit] Downfall and Closure

In 1976, the company went private in a leveraged buyout, by six company executives. Big Bear again went public in 1983. The company's fortunes began to falter in the late-1980s with new competition from supermarket chains like Cub Foods and Meijer. The chain put itself on the auction block in late 1988 after 54 years as an independent company, including periods of both public and private ownership. Big Bear was bought out in April 1989 for $35 per share, or $352 million, for all outstanding common stock by large retailer Penn Traffic, which owns several regional supermarket chains. In 1993, Big Bear Stores became a division of the Penn Traffic Company, and through a series of changes in business and marketing strategies contributed to the chain's demise in 2004 when the last Big Bear stores closed their doors, following Penn Traffic's 2nd Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a decade. Some were acquired and reopened as Giant Eagle or Kroger stores; as of March 2005 many former Big Bear stores (especially West Virginia) remain empty, ghosts of a once ubiquitous supermarket chain.

[edit] Former locations

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Note: Big Bear Plus stores are marked with Big Bear Plus; the others are regular Big Bear stores.

[edit] Ohio

  • Columbus - No. 1 364(?) W. Lane Ave., Columbus, OH 43201 - (former roller rink; opened 1934, closed & demolished ca. 1985; now site of Riverwatch Tower apartments)
  • Columbus - No. 2 E. Main Street, opened 1936,closed unknown. First building built specifically as a grocery for the company. (Plans on file at the Ohio Historical Society, Columbus Ohio)
  • Columbus - No. 6 280 E. Whittier Street Columbus, OH 43206 - (opened 1940?, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004, 24000? sq ft)
  • Springfield - No. 8 1215 Sunset Blvd, Springfield OH 45505 - (opened ?, closed 2004)
  • Newark - No. 11 61 S. Third Street, Newark OH 43055 - (opened 1940?, closed 2004, reopened 2005 as Lil' Bear, 20000? sq ft)
  • Columbus - No. 19 1451 W. 5th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43212 - (opened ?, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004, , 60000? sq ft)
  • Marietta - No. 27 128 Frontier Shopping Center, Marietta OH 45750 - (opened 1957, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004, 55000? sq ft)
  • Upper Arlington - No. 29 1794 Kingsdale Ctr, Upper Arlington, OH 43221 - (opened 1958, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004, 56,006 sq ft (5,203 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 30 660 Harrisburg Pike Columbus, OH 43223 - (opened 1966, closed 2004, 28,726 sq ft (2,669 m²))
  • South Zanesville - No. 37 151 Maysville Pike, South Zanesville, OH 43701 - (opened ?, rebuilt 2002, closed 2004, 58,377 sq ft (5,423 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 41 4780 W. Broad Street Columbus, OH, 43228 (opened 1970, closed 2004, reopened 2005 as Lincoln Foods, closed 2005, reopened as Giant Eagle 6/21/07, 50,155 sq ft (4,660 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 47 1575 E. Dublin Granville Rd. Columbus, OH, 43229 (opened 1965?, closed Jan 28, 2000, rebuilt at 1501 E. Dublin Granville Rd.)
  • Gahanna - No. 50 459 Agler Road Gahanna, OH 43230 - (opened 1967?, closed 2004, reopened 2005 as My Bear, closed 2006, 22,500 sq ft (2,090 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 56 1220 S. James Road Columbus, OH 43227 - (opened ?, closed 2004)
  • Columbus - No. 59 3435 Sullivant Avenue Columbus, OH 43204 - (opened 1959?, closed 2004, 40,452 sq ft (3,758 m²))
  • The Plains - No. 60 70 N. Plains Road The Plains, OH 43230 - (opened ?, closed 2004, bought by local grocer in 2004 then sold again and became Foodland)
  • Columbus - No. 61 Morse Rd. Columbus, OH 43213 - (opened ?, closed Jan 28 2000)
  • Columbus - No. 62 5700 Columbus Square Columbus, OH 43229 - (opened ?, closed 2000, 31,616 sq ft (2,937 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 63 4280 Hartland Square Drive Columbus, OH 43232 - (opened ?, closed 2004, 38,300 sq ft (3,560 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 65 889 Bethel Road Columbus, OH 43215 - (opened 1980, closed 2004, Sunflower Market now operates at this location, was 42,000 sq ft (3,900 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 69 2801 N. High Street Columbus, OH 43202 - (opened 1986, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004)
  • Athens - No. 74 1008 E. State Street Athens, OH 45701 - (opened ?, closed 2004, remodeled into Athena Grand Theater)
  • Westerville - No. 75 2551 Schrock Road Westerville OH 43230 - (opened 1987, closed 2004, reopened as Raisin Rack (health food store) 53,704 sq ft (4,989 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 76 3680 E. Broad Street Columbus, OH 43213 - (opened 4000?, closed 2004, 53,001 sq ft (4,924 m²))
  • Urbana - No. 200 280 Patrick Ave Urbana, OH 43078 - (opened ?, closed 2004, 25,000 sq ft (2,300 m²))
  • Circleville - No. 203 120 Morris Road Circleville, OH 43113 - (opened 1987, closed 2004, reopened as Jubilee Foods 2004, 43,883 sq ft (4,077 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 206 100 Dillmont Drive Columbus, OH 43235 - (opened 1990, closed 2004, space split, now half Big Lots and half vacant, was 56,859 sq ft (5,282 m²))
  • Lancaster - No. 207 1430 River Valley Rd. Lancaster, OH 43130 - (opened 1989?, closed 1999, 56,596 sq ft (5,258 m²))
  • Pickerington - No. 208 1171 Hill Road North Pickerington, OH 43147 - (opened 1991, closed 2004, 55,990 sq ft (5,202 m²))
  • Gallipolis - No. 209 31 Upper River Rd. Gallipolis, OH 45631 - (opened 1989, closed ?, 43136? sq ft)
  • Gahanna - No. 210 920 Hamilton Road Gahanna, OH 43213 - (opened 1990, closed 2004, 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 211 2700 Bethel Road Columbus, OH 43220 - (opened ?, closed 2004, Wal-Mart to open in its place in 2007)
  • Westerville - No. 212 1220 County Line Road Westerville, OH 43081 - (opened October 1993, closed 2004, 57,748 sq ft (5,365 m²))
  • Zanesville - No. 215 2800 North Maple Ave. Zanesville, OH 43701 - (opened ?, closed 2004)
  • Chillicothe - No. 216 660 Central Center Chillicothe, OH 45601 - (opened 1956/1991, closed 2004, reopened as Community Markets 2004, 44,000 sq ft (4,100 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 220 777 Neil Ave. Columbus, OH 43215 - (opened ?, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004, 37,003 sq ft (3,438 m²))
  • Mt. Vernon - No. 221 1550 Coshocton Rd. Mt. Vernon, OH 43050 - (opened 1993, closed 2004, 34400? sq ft)(original building was the new Kroger building, it was built before 1960 and left vacant when they moved in 1993 to the 1550 address)
  • Marysville - No. 223 15715 US Highway 36 Marysville, OH 43040 - (opened 1993, closed 2004, 36,052 sq ft (3,349 m²))
  • Springfield - No. 224 2300 N. Limestone St. Springfield, OH 45503 - (opened ?, closed 2004, reopened as Kroger 2005)
  • Columbus - No. 225 3811 South High Street Columbus, OH 43207 - (opened ?, closed 2004, 44,960 sq ft (4,177 m²))
  • Washington Court House - No. 226 300 Washington Square Washington C.H., OH 43108 - (opened 1980?, closed 2004, 40,980 sq ft (3,807 m²))
  • St. Mary's - No. 227 1550 Celina Road St. Mary's, OH 45885 - (opened ? as Pantry Pride, bought by big bear 1992, closed 2004)
  • Celina - No. 228 725 West Logan Street Celina, OH 45822 - (opened ? as Pantry Pride, bought by big bear 1992, closed 2004)
  • Celina - No. 229 901 East Wayne Street Celina, OH 45822 - (opened 1979 as Pantry Pride, bought by big bear 1992, closed 2004, 41,316 sq ft (3,838 m²))
  • New Bremen - No. 230 444 South Washington Street New Bremen, OH 45869 - (opened ? as Pantry Pride, bought by big bear 1992, closed 2004, 40,000 sq ft (4,000 m²))
  • Wapakoneta - No. 231 805 Defiance Street Wapakoneta, OH 45895 - (opened ? as Pantry Pride, bought by big bear 1992, closed 2004 Reopened as Community Markets)
  • Coshocton - No. 232 793 South Second Street Coshocton, OH 43812 - (replaced Kroger in 1994, closed 2004)
  • Hilliard - No. 235 5419 Roberts Road Hillard, OH 43026 - (opened 1995, closed 2004, 54,780 sq ft (5,089 m²))
  • Springfield - No. 236 1707 N. Bechtle Ave Springfield, OH 45504 - (opened 4/1/1995, closed 2004, 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 237 2865 W. Broad Street Columbus, OH 43204 - (opened 1996, closed 2004, 38,000 sq ft (3,500 m²))
  • Bellefontaine - No. 238 2250 South Main St. Bellefontaine, OH 43311 - (opened 1996, closed 12/5/1998. Split into two stores 2001, now a Staples and a Goody's - discount clothing store. 52,399 sq ft (4,868 m²))
  • Columbus - No. 239 1501 Dublin-Granville Road Columbus, OH 43229 - (opened Jan 29 2000, closed 2004, 55,096 sq ft (5,119 m²))
  • Bridgeport - No. 250 55707 Industrial Drive Bridgeport, OH 43912 - (opened ?, closed 2002, 100,000 sq ft (10,000 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Wintersville - No. 251 100 Main Street Wintersville, OH 43952 - (opened ?, closed 2004, 140,000 sq ft (13,000 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Lebanon - No. 252 920 Columbus Avenue Lebanon, OH 45036 - (opened 1980?, closed 2004) Big Bear Plus
  • Wapakoneta - No. 253 1340 Bellefontaine Street Wapakoneta, OH 43952 - (opened ?, closed 2004, 70,000 sq ft (7,000 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Portsmouth - No. 254 3920 US Route 23 Portsmouth, OH 45662 - (opened 1965, closed 2004, now JW Village Market IGA) Big Bear Plus
  • Lancaster - No. 255 1719 E. Main Street Lancaster, OH 43130 - (opened 1992, closed 2004, 98,000 sq ft (9,100 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Reynoldsburg - No. 256 6300 E. Livingston Ave. Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 - (opened 1976?, closed 2004, 101,067 sq ft (9,389 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Newark - No. 258 1660 N. 21st Street Newark OH, 43055 - (opened ?, closed 2003, 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Hilliard - No. 260 3700 Fishinger Blvd. Hilliard, OH 43026 - (opened 1986?, closed 2004, reopening as Kroger Marketplace 2007, 116,676 sq ft (10,840 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Whitehall - No. 262 4632 E. Main Street Whitehall, OH 43213 - (opened 1959?, closed 2004, 100,946 sq ft (9,378 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Grove City - No. 265 2173 Stringtown Rd. Grove City, OH 43123 - (opened 1993, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2006, 70,000 sq ft (7,000 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Dublin - No. 266 6700 Perimeter Loop Rd. Dublin, OH 43017 - (opened 1996, "closed" 2004 and became a Giant Eagle the next day, 79,854 sq ft (7,419 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Columbus - No. 268 3670 W. Dublin-Granville Rd. Columbus, OH 43235 - (opened 1996, closed 2004 reopened as Whole Foods 2006, 74,901 sq ft (6,959 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Columbus - No. 269 199 Graceland Blvd. Columbus, OH 43214 - (opened ?, closed 2004, reopened as Kroger Marketplace 2006, 110,915 sq ft (10,304 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Newark - No. 270 553 Hebron Road Newark, OH 43055 - (opened 1960, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004, 67,000 sq ft (6,200 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Columbus - No. 271 3515 Cleveland Avenue Columbus, OH 43224 - (opened ?, closed 2004, 65,560 sq ft (6,091 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Powell - No. 272 4000 West Powell Rd. Powell, OH 43065 - (opened 1997, closed 2004, reopening as Giant Eagle December 2006, 75,729 sq ft (7,035 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Columbus - No. 273 6867 East Broad Street Columbus, OH 43213 - (opened ?, closed 2004, reopened as Giant Eagle 2004) Big Bear Plus
  • Marion -No. ?? Opened 1950 on North Main Street. Building was an army surplus Quonset building. Store closed in 1960 with the opening of the Marion Plaza Store.
  • Marion -No. ?? Opened 1960 at Marion Plaza Shopping Center, Mt Vernon Avenue, Marion Ohio 43302. Closed in 1980s when replaced by newer building further east on Marion-Mt. Gilead Road.
  • Marion - No.?? Opened in mid 1980s. Big Bear took the store lease over from Clyde Evans Super Markets following a decision to close the Evans Grocery Store. Closed early 1990s. Kroger Corporation assumed lease and operates the store currently.
  • Upper Arlington - No. ?? Lane Avenue Shopping Center - (opened 196?, closed 1980) Located on east end of shopping center along the Wellesley Lane extension.
  • Sidney - No. ?? Sidney, OH 43213 - (opened 1988?, closed 1999?, 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m²))

[edit] West Virginia

  • Huntington - No. 31 1681 Fairfield Plaza Huntington, WV 25701 - (opened 1959, closed Jan. 6, 2004, 28,000 sq ft (2,600 m²)) Demolished in late 2004 to expand parking lot at nearby Cabell Huntington Hospital
  • Huntington - No. 40 115 Sixth Avenue, Huntington, WV 25701 - (opened 1965, closed 2004, re-opened Nov. 2004 as a Foodfair location)
  • Charleston - No. 73 118 Hills Plaza Charleston, WV 25312 - (opened Aug. 1985, closed 2004, Partially reopened & remodeled in 2006 as a BIG LOTS store. 57,000 sq ft (5,300 m²))
  • Teays Valley - No. 213 100 Liberty Square Hurricane, WV 25520 - (opened 1990, closed 2004, 56,724 sq ft (5,270 m²))
  • Huntington - No. 217 2054 Third Ave Huntington, WV 25701 - (opened 1985, closed 2004) Liquor Plus This was a successful beer and liquor outlet near Marshall University campus operated by Big Bear Stores. The building now houses a Fastenal.
  • Parkersburg - No. 218 615 Ann Street Parkersburg, WV 26101 - (opened ?, closed 2004) Liquor Plus
  • Ceredo - No. 257 4th Street W. Rt #60 Ceredo, West Virginia 25507- (opened 1974, closed 2004, 105,000 sq ft (9,800 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Huntington - No. 259 2825 Fifth Avenue Huntington, WV 25702 - (opened ?, closed 2004) Big Bear Plus currently being converted into a school for St. Mary's Hospital
  • Parkersburg - No. 263 180 Park Center Drive Parkersburg, WV 26101 - (opened 1996?, closed 2004, reopened 2006 as Ollie's Bargain Outlet, 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m²)) Big Bear Plus
  • Parkersburg - No. ?? 230 Gihon Village Shopping Plaza, Parkersburg, WV 26101 - (opened ?, closed 2001?)

[edit] See also