| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Headquarters | Montvale, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Area served | New York City and Long Island |
| Products | Deli, bakery, produce, snacks, pharmacy, frozen foods |
| Parent | The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company |
| Website | http://www.waldbaums.com/ |
Waldbaum's is a supermarket chain with stores on Long Island, and in the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. It began in 1904 as a shop run by Sam and Wolf Waldbaum in Brooklyn. Their nephew, Izzy, emigrated to America and joined the business. Izzy worked for his uncles until they retired, taking over one grocery. Izzy Waldbaum married Julia Leffel; they had three children. When Izzy died at age 55, his son Ira took over the existing 6 stores. Ira ran Waldbaum's until the 1986 sale. His mother Julia became the corporate spokesperson, touring stores, attending grand openings, and appearing on most Waldbaum's-branded products. Julia also published Waldbaum's recipe books, and appeared in print ads into her senior years.
In the late 1970s, Waldbaum's purchased Foodmart, Inc., a New England supermarket chain, enabling it to expand into southern New England. These stores were named Waldbaum's Foodmart; the company peaked at over 160 stores. It was acquired by The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P) in 1986. A&P mismanaged Waldbaum's, investing little in these stores, resulting in the closing or sale of many Foodmart stores in the New England division. A&P then converted the remaining Waldbaum's Foodmart store into the Super Foodmart banner, and, later, A&P Super Foodmart (A&P's other New England division). The diminished, 63-store Waldbaum's exists only in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and on Long Island. Many Waldbaum's are former A&P stores; A&P later bought Waldbaum's.[1]
Waldbaum's operates full-service, traditional supermarkets, with differing of footprints and store models. All Waldbaum's feature fresh meats and produce. Sixty-two stores have a bakery, with 36 offering pharmacy service. As with other A&P-branded stores, Waldbaum's offers in-house products under the America's Choice, Master Choice, Savings Plus, Simply Kids, MORE, Hartford Reserve, and Health Pride names.
Some believe that Waldbaum's is a subsidiary of the retail giant Walmart due to the name, but there is no connection.
On December 13, 2005, Waldbaum's began offering online shopping.[2]
On August 13, 2010, A&P (NYSE: GAPTQ), announced that it would close 25 stores as the parent of Waldbaum's began the implementation and execution phase of its comprehensive turnaround; these stores closed in October. Two of these stores were Waldbaum's; one each in Centereach and Levittown, both on Long Island. In February 2011, A&P announced 32 further store closings, including three Long Island Waldbaum's: Farmingdale, Smithtown, and Valley Stream. These closed April 15, 2011.
Waldbaum's was referenced in the television shows The King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Happily Divorced.
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