Green Bay, WI chain supermarket history
Posted: 03 Jul 2018 19:27
I've just about wrapped up my thoughts on one Wisconsin city, so I think it's time for another: Green Bay, WI chain grocery/supermarket history, 1925-59.
Why Green Bay? I've never actually lived there, but I spent four years in close-enough proximity that shopping visits were a regular occasion. But the biggest reason is this: All the directories I have access to are complete! Yes, I can scarcely believe it myself. Most other Wisconsin places such as Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and the Fox Cities are much more difficult to research because of missing information.
So, what is there to say about Green Bay? Read on...
* The Green Bay metropolitan area consists of more than Green Bay itself. There are adjacent municipalities: De Pere and Allouez are usually included in Green Bay directories of the 1940s and 1950s, while Ashwaubenon and Howard are not. (Lambeau Field falls on the dividing line between Ashwaubenon and Green Bay.)
* Many directories list "De Pere" and "West De Pere" as though they were separate cities; however, the two consolidated in 1890.
* Preble was an unincorporated township completely annexed by Green Bay in 1964; with small piecemeal annexations before that. As I alluded to in the Safeway in Green Bay thread, this gave me problems when tracing locations due to renumbering upon annexation. Preble stores are listed with approximate Green Bay addresses.
* Another challenge when pinpointing locations came from the way downtown Green Bay was reconfigured to accomodate the failed Port Plaza Mall in the 1970s. The 100-700 portion of Main Street was shifted a block north onto what was originally Cedar Street, while the original course of Main Street either became Bodart Street or was completely obliterated by the construction of the mall.
* Unsurprisingly, University Ave. had a different name (Willow St.) prior to the advent of UW-Green Bay in 1965.
Why Green Bay? I've never actually lived there, but I spent four years in close-enough proximity that shopping visits were a regular occasion. But the biggest reason is this: All the directories I have access to are complete! Yes, I can scarcely believe it myself. Most other Wisconsin places such as Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and the Fox Cities are much more difficult to research because of missing information.
So, what is there to say about Green Bay? Read on...
* The Green Bay metropolitan area consists of more than Green Bay itself. There are adjacent municipalities: De Pere and Allouez are usually included in Green Bay directories of the 1940s and 1950s, while Ashwaubenon and Howard are not. (Lambeau Field falls on the dividing line between Ashwaubenon and Green Bay.)
* Many directories list "De Pere" and "West De Pere" as though they were separate cities; however, the two consolidated in 1890.
* Preble was an unincorporated township completely annexed by Green Bay in 1964; with small piecemeal annexations before that. As I alluded to in the Safeway in Green Bay thread, this gave me problems when tracing locations due to renumbering upon annexation. Preble stores are listed with approximate Green Bay addresses.
* Another challenge when pinpointing locations came from the way downtown Green Bay was reconfigured to accomodate the failed Port Plaza Mall in the 1970s. The 100-700 portion of Main Street was shifted a block north onto what was originally Cedar Street, while the original course of Main Street either became Bodart Street or was completely obliterated by the construction of the mall.
* Unsurprisingly, University Ave. had a different name (Willow St.) prior to the advent of UW-Green Bay in 1965.