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I know there was a post on something related to this but I can't seem to find it, and either way, it might merit more elaboration.

Apparently, there were Big Star stores is places like Mississippi, Arkansas, and maybe Tennessee (perhaps others as well) that were not connected with Colonial Stores. In fact, I believe some of them may still be operating under the Big Star name.

Anyone have info on these? Were they a chain or a franchise? If a chain, was it connected with someone bigger (like Bruno's, maybe?).

Just curious, as I had an email inquiry on the subject today.

The Big Star stores were a franchise system sort of like Piggly Wiggly but with less cohesiveness. For a good period of time in the late 1970's-early 1980's, they were supplied by/sometimes operated by Malone & Hyde and carried their Hyde Park products as house brand. Many of these stores were in former A&P's and other stores former locations. I shopped with my grandmother in one in Jackson, Mississippi's Mart 51 Shopping Center that was a virtually unchanged A&P dating from the early 1950's. It closed several years ago as Mart 51 Supermarket. Until closure, the store even had its original refrigeration.

Big Star still exists. There are listings for stores in Memphis if you do a Google, but no website. They had a store Greenwood, MS when I was there for a work project a few years ago.

There were several in rural North Louisiana, in small towns like Many, Mansfield and Logansport. None of the stores were very large, and were, as stated before, franchise operations.

My family operates Big Star stores in Oxford, MS and Amory, MS. I am thrilled to hear that there are other stores remaining! I thought our two were the only ones left. Since Malone & Hyde went out of business, they now get things from a different supplier whose name escapes me at this time, and their house brands are Best Yet and Best Choice (at least at our stores).

Laid GP wrote:My family operates Big Star stores in Oxford, MS and Amory, MS. I am thrilled to hear that there are other stores remaining! I thought our two were the only ones left. Since Malone & Hyde went out of business, they now get things from a different supplier whose name escapes me at this time, and their house brands are Best Yet and Best Choice (at least at our stores).

Malone& Hyde was bought by Fleming Foods in 1988 which in turn went into bankruptcy and was absorbed by C&S Wholesalers in 2003 . Best Yet is C&S's house brand. (by way of Fleming , which aquired the brand when it bought the Schrivner company in the mid 90's)

There are a couple of Big Star stores in Hattiesburg MS. I took this picture in Feb 2007, it is the one on N. Main St.