Pathmark

Pathmark

Pathmark was a supermarket chain in the Northeastern United States. The chain was started in 1968 when a member-owned cooperative called Supermarkets General, which was established in 1956, broke away. Pathmark operated stores in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.

History

Pathmark began as part of the cooperative Supermarkets General, which was founded in 1956. In 1968, Supermarkets General left the cooperative to become a public company and established the Pathmark brand. Pathmark quickly grew and became a dominant player in the Northeastern United States supermarket industry.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Pathmark was known for its innovation in the supermarket industry. It was one of the first supermarket chains to introduce bar code scanning at its checkout counters. Pathmark was also one of the first to use computer-assisted ordering and to offer customers the option of using credit cards for grocery purchases.

In 2007, Pathmark was acquired by the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P). However, A&P filed for bankruptcy in 2010 and again in 2015. As a result of the 2015 bankruptcy, all Pathmark stores were sold or closed.

Legacy

Despite its closure, Pathmark left a significant legacy in the supermarket industry. Its innovations in bar code scanning and computer-assisted ordering are now standard practices in supermarkets worldwide. Pathmark's emphasis on customer convenience, as evidenced by its early adoption of credit card payments, has also influenced the industry.

See also

• Supermarket
• Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
• Bar code scanning
• Credit card