Chatham supermarkets in Michigan?
Posted: 09 Dec 2016 00:53
Is anyone familiar with Chatham, the defunct Detroit-area grocery chain? Wikipedia suggests that it had a rather...interesting demise:
When researching the local newspaper archives from that period, it definitely sounds like this store location was caught up in the sordid chainwide drama unfolding behind the scenes. The company was sold; the new owners "lost interest in keeping the stores' reputation," demanded concessions atop concessions from employees, and let operations go downhill. The Northville location was affected by a sweep of closures also affecting five other stores, and the announcement was simply dropped by Dandy on employees with scant warning or concern.
The Northville store was quickly reoccupied by a local outfit called Shopping Center Market (later Hiller's), which lasted until 2015. Hiller's eventually modernized and remodeled the building beyond recognition, but when I visited it in the early 1990s it still had a strong "1970s grocery" vibe with old cases and orange- and green-colored decor. Even some of the ceiling tiles were burnt-orange in color. I was impressed!
But, what happened to the other pieces of Chatham? I know that a few locations ended up in the hands of Farmer Jack...but I don't know whether they bought the company outright, or merely picked up a few bits and pieces of it in bankruptcy court. Of course, Farmer Jack is also defunct these days; so my hopes aren't high that a minimally-altered Chatham is still selling groceries somewhere...though I'd love to be proven wrong.
The one Chatham location I'm familiar with is a store that existed in Northville, Michigan. This store opened in 1971 and enjoyed a 15-year run before closing in July 1986.In 1986, Chatham was then owned by Nu-Trax, Inc., headed by Wendell Smith. In March 1986, the company was purchased by Alex Dandy, a businessman who owned Hamady Brothers food chain in Flint, Michigan. Dandy illegally diverted assets of the company to his personal benefit, and Chatham was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1987. Dandy was convicted in 1991, of tax offenses, mail fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and obstruction of justice.
When researching the local newspaper archives from that period, it definitely sounds like this store location was caught up in the sordid chainwide drama unfolding behind the scenes. The company was sold; the new owners "lost interest in keeping the stores' reputation," demanded concessions atop concessions from employees, and let operations go downhill. The Northville location was affected by a sweep of closures also affecting five other stores, and the announcement was simply dropped by Dandy on employees with scant warning or concern.
The Northville store was quickly reoccupied by a local outfit called Shopping Center Market (later Hiller's), which lasted until 2015. Hiller's eventually modernized and remodeled the building beyond recognition, but when I visited it in the early 1990s it still had a strong "1970s grocery" vibe with old cases and orange- and green-colored decor. Even some of the ceiling tiles were burnt-orange in color. I was impressed!
But, what happened to the other pieces of Chatham? I know that a few locations ended up in the hands of Farmer Jack...but I don't know whether they bought the company outright, or merely picked up a few bits and pieces of it in bankruptcy court. Of course, Farmer Jack is also defunct these days; so my hopes aren't high that a minimally-altered Chatham is still selling groceries somewhere...though I'd love to be proven wrong.