For much of the past three decades, Stop & Shop’s expansions have generally involved its superstore concept: 50,000 to 75,000 square feet, aisle after aisle, seemingly featuring anything you might need.
But in the last year or so, Stop & Shop’s growth in New England has shifted into a smaller scale. All of the new stores Stop & Shop acquired or opened — essentially acquisitions of two Johnie’s Foodmaster sites in Somerville and Medford, and a Grand Union on Nantucket — since the start of 2013 ranged in size from 12,000 to 33,000 square feet.
New England president Joe Kelley tells me he’ll keep his eye out for other smaller locations as he looks for opportunities for acquisitions or new store locations to add to the chain’s 213 stores in New England. In a way, it’s a throwback to the chain’s roots, which date back 100 years ago to when the Rabinowitz family opened Economy Grocery Stores in Somerville.
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