Since I had a free moment this week, I checked the Chatham locations on Google Maps to see what had become of them in the years since. Of the 45 stores that existed in 1980, a surprising number of them still stand, and 13 still house food stores today. Chatham must have been good about picking and planning locations, since that's a higher survival rate than
A&P.
I'll present the list in two parts. First off, here are the Chatham relics that arguably have the most aesthetic or historical merit:
#4 - 37635 Five Mile Rd & Newburgh - Livonia
Building has the distinctive multi-level slanted/vertical facade. Now Planet Fitness.
#5 - 19700 Kelly Rd & Woodland - Harper Woods
An unusual one! This building features a protruding pylon with three cutouts in the form of a "<|>" symbol.
The front facade has been remodeled; the store itself is still selling groceries as Vegas Food Center.
#6 - Grand River & Lahser - Detroit
Another interesting one! It's a downtown store with an odd footprint, street-flush alignment, and a side wall that "blends" into an adjacent 2-story storefront. Still selling groceries as an Old Redford Food Center "with PharMor Pharmacy." (Any connection to the PharMor chain, or was the name just co-opted after its bankruptcy?)
#7 - 20900 Gratiot & 8 Mile Rd. - Eastpointe (f.k.a. East Detroit)
Remodeled; now subdivided between Super Beauty Supply and Family Dollar. This store features an elaborate dual box-type sign facing 8 Mile Road, and formerly featured the distinctive multi-level slanted/vertical facade.
#13 - 9369 Telegraph & West Chicago - Redford
Still selling groceries as a Kroger. Surprisingly original facade, with nice stone wall accents.
#22 - 3584 Fort St. & Emmons Blvd - Lincoln Park
A small and rather old store with a barrel roof and street-flush alignment; now Ace Hardware. The store probably also encompassed an adjacent building for floorspace while it was open, and the parking lot-facing rear of the building was turned into a new "front."
#23 - 5736 Middlebelt & Ford Rd. - Garden City
Still another old and interesting store, with a tall pylon, street-flush alignment, barrel roof, and virtually original facade. Now houses the Great Lakes Burger Bar. A circa-1990 wedge-style Kroger is located next door.
#39 - 25225 Van Dyke - 10 Mile Rd - Center Line
Slightly remodeled; still selling groceries as Shopper's Market. Nice stone wall accents on the facade.
#43 - 3000 Van Born Rd. & Fort Street - Trenton
Building bears a variation of the distinctive slanted/vertical facade. Now divided between Tractor Supply Co. and a Salvation Army thrift store.
#50 - 19330 Middlebelt & 7 Mile Rd - Livonia
Building has the distinctive multi-level slanted/vertical facade. Now Perani's Hockey World.
Now, for the rest of the stores...
#2 - 12421 Hayes & Houston Whittier (Kelly) - Detroit
If the address is correct, this now houses a Dollar General store. (This building looks small for a supermarket, however, so perhaps the store was actually located on the now-vacant lot across the street?)
#3 - 24900 Kelly Rd & 10 Mile Rd - Eastpointe (f.k.a. East Detroit)
Minimally remodeled (and with a huge smokestack in back); now Value World.
#8 - 12511 Morang & Kelly - Detroit
A rather small store. Remodeled; now Family Dollar.
#9 - 23245 Mack & 9 Mile Rd. - St Clair Shores
Slightly remodeled; now Ace Hardware.
#10 - 9731 Harper & Gratiot - Detroit
Remodeled, and still selling groceries as a Farmer John (sic) Food Center.
#11 - 35641 S. Gratiot & 15 Mile Rd. - Clinton Twp.
Presumably remodeled and now Big Lots; though the address number is now 35603 if it is.
#12 - 28804 Gratiot & 12 Mile Rd. - Roseville
Evidently demolished and replaced by a new shopping center.
#14 - 16730 Fort St & Pennsylvania - Southgate
Demolished.
#15 - 30800 Hoover & 13 Mile - Warren
Remodeled; still selling groceries as an Oak Ridge Market.
#16 - 200 Stephenson Highway & 11 Mile Rd - Royal Oak
Remodeled; now Belle Tire.
#19 - 31300 Five Mile & Merriman - Livonia
Remodeled; now subdivided into Dollar Tree and other tenants.
#20 - 25200 Van Born & Beach Daly - Dearborn Heights
Remodeled; still selling groceries as a Saturn Marketplace.
#24 - 4235 12 Mile Rd. & Ryan - Warren
Remodeled; now houses a CVS.
#25 - 28100 N. Telegraph & 12 Mile Rd - Southfield
Now the site of the Southfield Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership. The original building
might have been remodeled into the service garage, but it's difficult to tell.
#28 - 15411 Southfield & Allen Rd. - Allen Park
Minimally remodeled; now Rite Aid.
#29 - 22728 Ryan & 9 Mile Rd. - Warren
Building still reasonably original; still selling groceries as Dave's Market.
#30 - 4770 Greenfield & Michigan - Dearborn
Likely demolished for a new Farmer Jack-cum-Kroger bearing the 1990s A&P architecture.
#31 - 425 North Center St - Northville
Remodeled; still selling groceries as Kroger.
#32 - 217 E. 11 Mile Rd & Main - Royal Oak
Evidently demolished and replaced by new development.
#33 - 40700 Van Dyke & 18 Mile Rd. - Sterling Heights
Remodeled; now an antiques mall.
#34 - 25780 Middlebelt & 11 Mile Rd - Farmington Hills
Remodeled beyond recognition, but still selling groceries as Kroger.
#35 - 1370 W. University Dr. & Livernois - Rochester
Evidently demolished.
#36 - 9751 Telegraph & Haig (Wick Rd.) - Taylor
Remodeled; now Zap Zone.
#37 - 35507 Ford Rd & Wayne - Westland
Remodeled; now Big Lots.
#38 - 2400 Elizabeth Lake Rd. & Telegraph - Waterford Twp.
Remodeled and vacant? Located adjacent to the abandoned
Summit Place Mall.
#40 - 1525 Opdyke & S. Blvd. Bloomfield Twp.
Slightly remodeled; still selling groceries as a Hollywood Super Market.
#41 - 7651 (2651?) 23 Mile & Van Dyke - Utica
Paired with a Kmart, with Kmart Food-esque architecture. Still reasonably original, now housing Big Lots.
#42 - 901 E. Big Beaver & Rochester Rd. - Troy
Remodeled; now houses the Fresh Thyme Farmers Market.
#44 - 2035 Rawsonville Rd. & I-94 - Belleville
Remodeled; now Dunham's Sports.
#45 - 26100 Greenfield Rd & 11 Mile Rd - Oak Park
Slightly remodeled; now houses a Fallas store (whatever that is).
#46 - 725 E. Maple & Woodward - Birmingham
Appears to have been demolished and replaced by a new Kroger.
#47 - 32 Market St. & Gratiot - Mt. Clemens
Severely remodeled; now houses Macomb County government offices.
#48 - 40725 Ann Arbor Rd. & Haggerty - Plymouth
A little unclear where this was. Possibly demolished and replaced by the Hines Park Lincoln dealership.
#51 - 14350 E. 9 Mile Rd & Weller - Warren
Remodeled; still selling groceries as Shopper's Market (though missing the Center Line store's stone wall accents.)
#70 - 31140 Van Dyke & Chicago Rd (13 Mile) - Warren
Site of the one "Chatham Plus" supercenter; now demolished and replaced by a Lowe's store.
"The pale pastels which have been featured in most food stores during the past 20 years are no longer in tune with the mood of the 1970s."
Andrew Turnbull