Before there were supermarkets the size of small airports, there were corner stores run by people who actually knew your name — and your favorite kind of pickles. Some of those mom-and-pop shops grew into midsize grocery stores and then into the sprawling behemoths we now wander through like lost souls. A few of these stores have been in business since before sliced bread was even a thing (literally).
Los Angeles, California
Ralphs is the oldest grocery store chain still operating west of the Mississippi, founded in 1873 by George Ralphs, a former bricklayer who lost his arm in a hunting accident and pivoted to groceries. The first store opened in downtown Los Angeles and quickly became a go-to for the city’s growing population. Over the next century, Ralphs expanded across Southern California, eventually becoming a regional heavyweight.
In 1999, Ralphs became part of the Kroger family after Kroger acquired Fred Meyer, which owned Ralphs at the time. Today, it still operates under its own name, but with the backing of the country’s largest supermarket company. Local vibe, national muscle.
Cincinnati
Bernard “Barney” Kroger — the son of German immigrants who grew up helping in his family’s dry goods store in Cincinnati, took $372 of his savings and in 1883 opened a small grocery store downtown. His business plan was to sell high-quality food at fair prices, and not sell anything you wouldn’t eat yourself. That personal motto became company policy: “Be particular. Never sell anything you would not want yourself.”
Kroger believed in controlling as much of the process as possible. He started baking his own bread, then roasting his coffee. It was also one of the first to combine groceries with a butcher shop, and later a pharmacy, under one roof. These little moves — now standard in every supermarket — helped shape what Americans expect from a grocery store.
A century and a half later, Kroger operates nearly 2,800 stores across 35 states, and it’s the largest supermarket chain by revenue in the U.S.
Kerrville, Texas
In 1905, Florence Butt opened a small grocery store in the front room of her family home in Kerrville, Texas. Her son, Howard E. Butt, later took over and expanded it across the state. The name H-E-B comes from his initials. What began as a single shop grew into one of the most dominant grocery chains in Texas, known for its private-label products, competitive prices, and strong local focus. Today, H-E-B operates over 435 stores in Texas and Mexico and remains family-owned.
American Falls, Idaho
When Marion Barton Skaggs bought out his father's grocery store, he had a vision of creating a chain of stores with affordable prices and quality goods, and Safeway started in 1915 in American Falls, Idaho. Skaggs pushed a cash-only model to keep families out of debt. It grew fast, merged even faster, and now operates around 999 stores across the U.S., mostly in the West.
Memphis, Tennesee
Before Piggly Wiggly, grocery shopping meant handing your list to a store clerk like ordering a custom suit. Clarence Saunders changed that in 1916 when he opened the first self-service grocery store in downtown Memphis and named it Piggly Wiggly. When asked why he called the store "Piggly Wiggly," Saunders famously said, "So people will ask that very question."
As of 2025, there are around 500 stores still rocking the cheery pig logo across 18 states, mostly in the South and Midwest.
Rochester, New York
Wegmans started in 1916 as a produce pushcart in Rochester, New York, run by brothers John and Walter Wegman. It grew into a grocery store focused on fresh food, good service, and store design that felt more like a market than a warehouse. Over time, it became known for its prepared meals, in-store bakeries, and loyal following. Today, Wegmans has over 111 stores across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, and it's still family-owned.
Lowell, Massachusetts,
Market Basket started as a single store in Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1917, originally known as DeMoulas Market. Over the decades, it grew into a beloved New England chain. But in the 2010s, the company made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
After the founder’s death, his sons battled in court for control. Then their sons — Arthur S. and Arthur T. DeMoulas — picked up the feud and turned it into an all-out war. In 2014, Arthur T., who was CEO and beloved by employees for his hands-on leadership and generous benefits, was abruptly ousted by the board, which included rival cousin Arthur S. Employees walked off the job, customers boycotted stores, and parking lots sat empty for weeks.
After months of chaos and media frenzy, Arthur T. bought out the company for $1.6 billion — with the help of private financing — and returned to massive cheers.
Today, Market Basket is still family-run, and has nearly 90 stores across New England.
Miami, Florida
Winn-Dixie’s story starts in 1925, when William Milton Davis bought a little grocery store in Miami called Rockmoor Grocery, later renamed Table Supply. By the 1930s, Davis had expanded the business and merged with a chain called Winn & Lovett, forming the name that would become a Southern staple.
Through the mid-20th century, Winn-Dixie grew like crazy, snapping up smaller chains and spreading across the South like butter on a biscuit. By the 1980s, it had cemented its spot as one of the biggest grocery names in the country.
But the 2000s weren’t kind, and the increasing pressure from Publix, Walmart, and basically every big-box store on the map, led Winn-Dixie to file for bankruptcy in 2005.
Most recently, it made headlines again when Aldi announced it would acquire about 400 locations in 2024. Some stores will be rebranded, others will keep the Winn-Dixie name — but the legacy continues, just with a European accent.
Winter Haven, Flordia
Publix was founded in 1930 in Winter Haven, Florida, by George Jenkins who left Piggly Wiggly to open a store that did things differently — cleaner, friendlier, and more organized. Despite launching during the Great Depression, it caught on quickly. Today, it operates over 1,390 stores across the Southeast and remains employee-owned with a strong reputation for customer service and store quality.
Beaconsfield, Iowa
Hy-Vee got its start during the Great Depression, when two Midwestern grocers — Charles Hyde and David Vredenburg — opened a small general store in Beaconsfield, Iowa.
By the late 1930s, the company introduced an employee-owned model, which still stands today. That means thousands of Hy-Vee workers literally have a stake in the business, which explains why the service often feels a notch above your average big-box experience.
Over the years, Hy-Vee expanded across the Midwest, adding in pharmacies, gas stations, health clinics, and even full-on food courts. Today, it has over 300 locations in 8 states and somehow manages to feel both massive and personal.
Green Island, New York,
Launched in Green Island, New York, by the Golub family, Price Chopper earned early points for bulk-buying smarts and self-service grocery setups.
In recent years, it rebranded many of its stores as Market 32 to modernize its look without losing its roots.
It still serves affordable groceries across New York, New England, and parts of Pennsylvania, and remains privately owned by the same family that started it.
Greenville, Michigan
Hendrik Meijer started his business during the Great Depression. Meijer is credited with pioneering the supercenter concept, which combines groceries and general merchandise under one roof. Meijer operates more than 500 supercenters, grocery stores, and express locations throughout the Midwest.
Placerville, California
Tom Raley opened his first store in Placerville, California, in 1935 with a focus on fresh food and friendly service.
Three generations later, Raley’s is still a family-run business with stores throughout California and Nevada.
It’s also riding the wellness wave, with its Raley’s O-N-E Market concept that focuses on organics, nutrition, and transparency.
Chicopee, Massachusetts
Named after the Y-shaped intersection where it was founded in Chicopee, Massachusetts, by brothers Paul and Gerald D'Amour, Big Y grew from neighborhood market into a full-service grocery chain.
Today, it operates over 70 locations across Massachusetts and Connecticut. Known for staying independent and local, Big Y was an early adopter of in-store banking, pharmacies, and even gas stations — basically a one-stop shop for everything but your dry cleaning.
Boise, Idaho
Joe Albertson opened his first store at the end of the Great Depression in Boise, Idaho, with the promise of "a square deal for everybody." His store had free parking and a money-back guarantee, which were very new standards for customer service at the time.
Today, Albertsons has over 2,200 stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia, under various banners including Safeway, Vons, and Jewel-Osco.
