This is a list of all chain grocery locations my research has uncovered in Lancaster between 1925 and 2020, compiled from city directories, telephone books, and other sources. There may be some omissions due to incomplete or missing data, etc. and I welcome suggestions and corrections. Please read about my methodology for more information about what I do and do not include.

View and download the location spreadsheet via Google Sheets.

Notes

• I did not have access to the suburban directories that were apparently published from the 1970s to 1990s, but I think I was able to fill in most of the holes from newspaper sources.
• Lancaster was a perfect example of the problems with A&P in the 1970s; for years the chain operated two 1939 inner-city stores as its only locations. One final branch opened in 1955 and A&P rolled with these three stores (and no new ones) until abandoning the market in 1975.
• Food Fair closed all its Pantry Pride stores in the area in 1979, and Acme had largely withdrawn by 1980 as well, with one remaining location that was gone by 1986.
• In 1974, Weis Markets purchased Erb’s, an independent store in nearby East Petersburg PA., keeping the store in operation under the original name. They later used the name on at least one 1990s-era store in Lancaster.
• The local Sanitary chain was not related to the Washington-based chain that was bought out by Safeway.

Store tags

• A&P
• American/Acme
• Food Fair/Pantry Pride
• Giant (PA)
• Redner’s
• Sanitary (local chain)
• Weis