| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Grocery) |
| Founded | August 4, 1930 |
| Headquarters | Bethpage, New York |
| Key people | Co-chairmen: Bernard D. Kennedy, Ronald Conklin Presidents: Brian Cullen, Donald Kennedy |
| Revenue | US$ 800 million (2006) |
| Website | kingkullen.com |
King Kullen Grocery Co. is an American supermarket chain with 45 stores, on Long Island and Staten Island. The company is headquartered in Bethpage, New York and was founded by Michael J. Cullen in 1930. It is notable for its title of "America's First Supermarket" as recognized by the Smithsonian Institution.
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King Kullen was founded by Michael J. Cullen, a then-Kroger employee who devised the concept of the modern supermarket. Cullen attempted to make his concept public when he wrote to Kroger president Bernard Kroger, proposing a new type of food store with a focus on low prices, cash sales, and without delivery service, in larger stores (at low rents) with ample parking.
In his proposal, Cullen suggested that this new type of store could achieve 10 times the volume and profits of the average Kroger or A&P. After Cullen's letter went unanswered, he quit his job and moved his family to Long Island, where he launched his concept. Cullen leased a vacant garage at 171st Street and Jamaica Avenue in Queens, near a busy shopping district. The store, dubbed "King Kullen", opened on August 4, 1930.
King Kullen is notable for its title of "America's First Supermarket", and is recognized as such by the Smithsonian Institution. The chain is still owned by the Cullen family. More recently, former New York City Councilman Jack Muratori served as a King Kullen executive.[1]
Supermarket News ranked King Kullen No. 75 in the 2007 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2005–06 fiscal year estimated sales of $800 million.[2]
King Kullen's 45 stores are on Long Island and Staten Island.