Colonial Stores evolved from two early 20th century grocery enterprises. The first, known as the L.W. Rogers Company, opened its first location -in Atlanta- in 1892. By 1908, there were twenty-two stores, with thirty-seven in business in 1913. The store count stood at 130 in 1925. At this time, Rogers units operated in Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. The chain was reorganized under the Southern Grocery Company heading in 1926.
Graphic from L.W. Rogers Stores
The second pre-Colonial enterprise, known as the David Pender Grocery Company, originated from a store in Norfolk, Virginia. David Pender became its proprietor in 1901. By 1925, the Pender's chain encompassed 240 stores, which operated in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Graphic from the David Pender Grocery Company
Boston's National Food Products Corporation acquired the David Pender Grocery Company in 1926. In April 1929, they took possession of the Southern Grocery Company (Rogers Stores) enterprise and merged the two concerns. The advert above beckons one and all to partake in National Foods' "outstanding investment opportunity."
Advert from the National Food Products Corporation
Following the 1929 merger, stores still operated under the Pender's and Rogers nameplates. A new conglomerate -known as Colonial Stores, Incorporated- was formed on December 19, 1940. This entity was charged with the operation of 552 stores. 502 were corner grocery-type, branded as either Pender's, Rogers or Little Star Food Stores. Fifty supermarket-type units bore the Big Star brand.
Graphic from Colonial Stores, Incorporated
Big Star was a joint venture of the Pender's and Rogers chains. The first unit opened -in Greensboro, North Carolina- on December 1, 1937. The customer at this self-service food emporium shopped among the store's 2,100 different items, placing purchases in a "four-wheeler package-carrier" (or shopping cart). The advert above, from March 1942, announces the grand opening of a Wilmington, North Carolina Big Star Store.
Advert from Colonial Stores, Incorporated
The "CS Rooster" logo was introduced on August 1, 1947. It was also announced that all Pender's, Rogers, Little Star and Big Star stores would be rebranded under a single -Colonial Stores- nameplate. At this time, the company was overseeing 384 stores, with 170 being self-service super markets.
Graphic from Colonial Stores, Incorporated
Since its formation in December 1940, Colonial Stores had been directed from a corporate headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. A new headquarters-warehouse-bakery facility was dedicated -in East Point, Georgia- in 1953. Colonial Stores encompassed 344 stores, which operated in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Three of the 344 stores in 1953 were corner grocery-type units. These were completely phased out in 1955.
Graphic from Colonial Stores, Incorporated
Cincinnati's Albers Super Markets was founded in 1933. The chain operated in parts of Ohio and Kentucky. In June 1955, Albers was acquired by Colonial Stores. In September of the same year, Stop & Shop Enterprises, of Indiana and Kentucky, also became a Colonial Stores division. With these mergers, the company was overseeing 432 stores.
Photo from Colonial Stores, Incorporated Annual Report 1955
By 1964, Colonial Stores was running 431 supermarkets in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia. Units in the Cincinnati division operated under the Albers name. Indiana-based locations had been sold in 1959, with a small number of Tennessee stores being sold in 1963. A typical mid-century Colonial Store encompassed between 20,800 and 31,500 square feet, with several older stores averaging 11,700.
Graphic from Colonial Stores, Incorporated Annual Report 1962
A view inside a mid-century Colonial store. In 1970 the company was overseeing 430 supermarkets, with 104 being discount -or low margin- stores. These were departments in large discount department stores and operated under the names Kmart Foods, Zayre Foods, Treasure City and Richway Foods. The Big Star name was also revived in 1963 for a new chain of discount food stores.
Photo from Colonial Stores, Incorporated Annual Report 1965
In 1972, Colonial was operating 445 stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia. The Albers division was sold in 1974. All newly-built stores were discount-low margin, with all units eventually being converted to this format under the Big Star brand. New Jersey's Grand Union chain bought Colonial Stores in 1977 and had shuttered -or sold- all units by 1988.
Photo from Colonial Stores, Incorporated Annual Report 1978
COLONIAL JUNIOR-ANCHORED SHOPPING MALLS:
*LENOX SQUARE, Atlanta, GA (1959)
*CHARLOTTETOWN MALL, Charlotte, NC (1959)
*SOUTHPARK MALL, Charlotte, NC (1970) [outparcel]
