Remember the Great Scott! supermarkets? If you were born anywhere past 1990, chances are you don't. I only remember them through their countless commercials, but I never had the opportunity to shop in one.

Great Scott! was one of Michigan's largest supermarket chains, based in Detroit, with a total of 38 locations state-wide. The first market locations opened in 1953 in former Wrigley and Packer's grocery stores. With numerous television ads, and good customer service, Great Scott! was doing extremely well. It coasted along until 1966, when it bought a few former “Big D” shops for the purpose of opening more GS! Supermarkets.

In 1976, evidently under pressure from a really good offer, Great Scott! was sold to Allied Supermarkets. Many of the GS! Markets were closed down, but the ones that stayed open still held on to the Great Scott! name.

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Between 1985-1987, Chatham grocers closed and sold every one of their stores. Some of these were purchased by Great Scott! (Allied). Only a few years later, it was announced that GS! would be sold, almost a year and a half after the Farmer Jack stores were sold to A&P.

The Great Scott! supermarkets were the last of Detroit's hometown grocers, and it was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. In May 1990, Kroger bought some of the remaining GS! stores.... the ones that weren't bought by Kroger were either purchased by other companies, or closed down, putting people out of work.

So to answer the original question...NO there are no more Great Scott! supermarkets left in Michigan (are there?).

The gallery below shows some images taken from old Great Scott TV blurbs...

Great Scott! Supermarkets: Gone Since 1990

MORE MICHIGAN STORES:

Abandoned KMart Headquarters, Troy

Michigan Kroger Stores, 1900-1950s

Wrigley's Supermarkets

 

 

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