THE SUPERMARKET — A GREAT AMERICAN INVENTION

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Look as you will, chances are you won't find and the supermarket listed among great American inventions. But while many factors and many people have contributed to its eventual conception, it was an American invention and a great one. An invention that has both changed and reflected the lifestyles of the American family. In fact, supermarkets have become so much of an institution that it's difficult to envision life in this country today without them. And yet there was a time not that long ago when there was no such thing as that remarkable retailing innovation called a supermarket. At the turn of the century, America was in the midst of an industrial revolution. The magnetism of rapidly growing cities attracted people by the tens of thousands to be where the action is. Peddlers hawkked their wares from push carts. And local farmers toured the teeming streets daily, selling their products from horsedrawn wagons. [Music] Grocery stores propped up in every neighborhood to service the everinccreasing populace who because of the lack of transportation were forced to shop close to home. They offered the housewife free delivery and extended credit, but they couldn't satisfy all her food needs. The stores were generally small, and their inventory was limited to dry foods. But the food distribution industry had men of vision in its midst. resourceful and innovative men who dared to abandon convention and boldly experiment with new methods of getting their products to the consumer. In 1912, cash and carry stores that featured lower profit margins and greater volume were introduced in New York. While in that same year, a Southern California merchant began experimenting with selfservice. In 1916, the first store specifically designed and built to be self-service was opened in Tennessee by Clarence Saunders. While in Los Angeles, combination stores, which carried groceries, meats, produce, dairy products, and some non-food items came into being before 1920. These and many more like them were the pioneers who planted the seeds from which the supermarket was born. [Music] That high-spirited and exuberant decade, which became known as the roaring 20s, brought many changes in the lifestyles of the American family. It was a time when the Manassa Mhler and the Sultan of SWAT were slugging their way to fame on the ground. While Amelia Heheart and Charles Lindberg performed their daring dew in the skies, people had more money to spend and more time to spend it. The refrigerator changed buying habits by preserving food longer, while radio, another new kid on the block, featured personalities who extolled the virtues of national brands. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Better Swan Soap. J E L L. The Jello program starring Jack Benny. If the finder of a black wallet containing $8 in cash and some important papers will return the money, he can KEEP THE PAPERS. And Henry Ford's Model T provided the lowcost transportation that enabled many more families to shop further and further away from home. The 8 million cars in use in 1920 swelled to 26 12 million by the end of the decade. [Music] And then suddenly the mood of the people changed. Reckless abandon became quiet despair as the nation suffered a devastating economic crash. Millions of Americans were thrown out of work and Brother Can you Spare a Dime became the popular song of the day. And it was during that time, a time of anguish, fear, and frustration, that the supermarket, as we know it today, was born. Born, one might say, out of necessity. Almost as if fate had decreed that this was the right time for the supermarket. And it was. Economically and psychologically, it was the right time. There was plenty of merchandise which could be bought inexpensively and an abundance of available manpower. And there was a liberal sprinkling of abandoned plants, warehouses, and garages which could be leased for a song. And it was in such a place, a converted garage in Jamaica, New York, that the first acknowledged supermarket was opened in August of 1930. It was opened by a man who couldn't sell the idea to his boss. So he formed his own company and it was an immediate success. By 1932, Mike Cullen was operating eight markets. While across the river, a big bear began crushing prices in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Larger markets carrying a greater variety of merchandise which sold at unheard of prices created a neverbefored sales volume. No one had ever seen anything like it before. [Music] I'd never seen anything like it before. There were so many things to buy and so many people buying. It was like a carnival. It was something. It really was something. Yes. And I remember you didn't have to ask a clerk to hand you the oatmeal and the toothpaste and you could actually pick up something that you wanted, look at it without bothering anybody. And if you couldn't afford it, all you had to do was put it back. I think everybody liked that. And the prices, they were so low. I know everybody liked that. I owned a grocery store in Elizabeth at that time. Well, that big bear really hurt my business. Do you know I could buy stuff at that store cheaper than I could for my own wholesaler? And the newspaper ads were like ads for a circus. splashy. Very splashy. Big letters and numbers and the prices. We had to go down there just to find out if they were telling the truth. They were telling the truth. All right. We used to go to the market to stock up once a week. It was like a family outing. They had free parking and you can buy a lot of things in that one store. It was fun. But the real reason we kept coming back was the low prices. It was a depression, you know, and we didn't have very much to spend. And so from miles around they flocked to these markets. And this infant, this child of the depression, which was later named Supermarket, grew stronger with each ring of the cash register. But the road to supermarket growth was anything but smooth. Grocery chains and other food retailers join forces to present a united front against these independent innovators. Pressure was applied to get manufacturers, wholesalers, and even the newspapers to refuse to deal with these upstarts. And legislation was introduced to outlaw selling at or below cost. But the supermarkets came through these battles stronger than ever before because the public was on their side. The housewife's only concern was where she could get the most for her dollar. And she knew where that was. As if programmed by one master plan, supermarkets began to open almost simultaneously across the country. The food chains, feeling the effects of these price slashers where it hurts most in the cash register, embraced the philosophy, "If you can't lick them, join them." And in 1935, with the largest of the chains showing the way, they joined them. The number of supermarkets kept growing at a prodigious rate, but their operators had to learn by trial and error. They didn't have the means to profit from each other's experiences. And then operators, wholesalers, food processors, and equipment manufacturers, all thirsting for the information they could get from one another, got together for the first time in 1937 and formed an alliance that spurred the dynamic growth and development of the infant industry. The folding shopping cart was put on display at the first convention and immediately became a must in all supermarkets. The manufacturing of war materials for our allies overseas and stepped up defense spending gave our economy a much needed shot in the arm. Overtime replaced unemployment and Americans had money to spend once more. Supermarkets were thriving, too. Better stores with a greater variety of items were being built to accommodate the demands of a people who had done without long enough. And by January of 1940, there were over 6,000 supermarkets in operation throughout the country. [Music] Jitterbugging, Bbop, and the Zootsuit were the craze of the 40s, and penicellin began curing a lot of ills. Everybody's favorite Joe Deargio established a new consecutive game-hitting streak. The average lifespan, only 49 in 1900, rose to 64 years of age in 1940. And the spotting of a flying saucer made the news. But the news that caught everyone's attention was the bombing of Pearl Harbor. And suddenly, America was at war. During the war years, the supermarkets along with other segments of the food industry worked hand in hand with government agencies. They helped preserve those products in short supply and aided in keeping the vital lifeline of food flowing to our servicemen and women, to our people at home, and our allies abroad. Rationing and price freezing were the dictates of the times. In the supermarkets, resourceful operators filled the gaping holes left in the shelves by product shortages with an increasing number of non-food items. The employment of women and the extended use of selfservice provided a partial solution to the shortage of manpower. While the introduction and expansion of self-service meats gave credence to the old adage, necessity is the mother of invention. When the great struggle was over, supermarket operators straining at the bit because of wartime shortages and restrictions broke out in a rash of building and expansion. Increased technology brought about instore improvements which were largely responsible for the dramatic increase in sales volume. Cash registers featuring itemized stub receipts gave the customer more confidence in the selfservice system. Fluorescent lighting made stores much brighter, more cheerful, and enhanced the appearance of the merchandise. And open self-deing cases spurred a huge increase in the sale of frozen foods. The infant industry was growing up. By 1950, there were over 14,000 supermarkets in the country, and everyone knew that was just the tip of the iceberg. How much? During the next decade, the fabulous 50s, the economy soared, and the feeling of well-being permeated the air. They're really rocking in Boston and Pittsburgh, PA. Deep in the heart of Texas and around the Bristol Bay. A new music rock and roll freed partners from dancing with each other and a Kelly girl collared a prince. Arnold Palmer's putting helped capture his first masters while Roger Banister's strutting mastered the first mile in under four minutes. and Christian Dior was the fashionable name of the day. People moved out of the cities in droves and twocar families became the norm as suburban communities blossomed. And with their growth came another phenomenon, the shopping center, which had at its core as its main attraction, the supermarket. A supermarket that made a point to appeal to the demands and needs of its new clientele, the Suburbanite. [Music] We'd been in our new house about a year when they started building that shopping center. It was quite the thing, especially at that time. It had a lot of stores, but the supermarket was the big draw. We'd shopped at supermarkets before, but never anything like that new one. I remember coming into that new supermarket and thinking, "This is the prettiest store I'd ever seen." The aisles were so wide, and the shelves were jam-packed with all kinds of good things. Everything was so bright and clean, it was really a pleasure. Those cases that had the milk and cheese went halfway up the wall. It was much easier to see and reach everything. And you could serve yourself in the fruit and vegetable department, and some of the items were already packaged and priced. All that was new to me. That was the first time I'd seen those moving belts at the checkout counter. The new supermarket in my neighborhood had air conditioning, place for the kids to play, and music while you did your shopping. They were even one of the first to give out trading stamps. But do you know what impressed me most? I got the shock of my life when I walked up to the front door. It jumped open all by itself. race balls of fire. Yes, the door opened by itself, but instore technology was only part of the reason for the success of the supermarkets during the 50s. More functional packaging, the increase of prepackaged dairy, meats, and produce, and home food freezers increased the amount of the average sale. National advertising on television created a pre-sold market and the dramatic increase of non-food items added to the total sales volume. Supermarkets had really come of age and by 1960 there were over 33,000 of them throughout the land. This is the dawn of the age of Aquarius. [Music] In the 60s, a new language brought us words like op art and pop art, go-go girls and discs, the watooi and the prob. It was a time for the age of Aquarius, moon walks and heart transplants, and women started wearing miniskirts. There was no longer any doubt that a love affair existed between the supermarket, which had become the fair-haired boy of the food distribution industry and the people. Independents and chains realizing this rushed to build as many new stores as they could. And the stores they built were different than ever before. The proliferation of supermarkets brought with it a fresh problem. competition against a new and formidable opponent, each other. More and more stores began promoting trading stamps. And by 1965, 2/3 of all supermarkets in the country were offering them. But as the first hint of inflation began eroding some of the people's income, lower prices became the popular appeal of the day, and many operators abandoned the stamps, returning to the original supermarket concept. low price appeal. But as the decade wore on, the price of food was no exception. And because people had to eat every day, they vented their anger on the supermarkets. Consumer groups formed, demonstrating and protesting against the soaring food prices. And the operators were shocked. They had always thought of themselves as being the buying agents for the consumer, as being on the same team. And now for the first time since its inception, the supermarket entered a new decade tentatively wearily and uncertain of what the future had in store. [Music] An assortment of musical tastes like soul, disco, country rock, punk rock, and a rebirth of jazz characterized the unpredictable 70s. Hammering Hank Aaron nailed down the all-time home run crown and girls started playing on little league teams. A carnivorous fish had movie goers cringing in their seats and a wave of nostalgia engulfed the country. Old movies, old stars, and old songs were in vogue and even fashion turned back the hands of time. America became 200 years old in the 70s. And although she looked great for her age, some things were bothering her. A strange combination of an expanding inflation and a deepening recession played havoc with the nation's economy, and oil became a big word in everybody's vocabulary. And it was in the 70s that the supermarkets were dealt a devastating blow by price controls was no longer profitable to sell and some companies actually subsidized their meat departments selling at a loss in order to keep their customers. Profit margins dipped drastically and some stores fell by the wayside. And when the controls were lifted and the pent-up inflation hit the supermarket shelf, a new hue and cry was heard from the consumer. But the supermarkets were equal to the task this time. Many hired leading consumerrists to work hand in hand with top level management. Open dating on perishables, unit pricing, nutritional labeling, and easier to read weight statements were just a few of the changes that resulted. The supermarkets were more than willing to cooperate to prove that they were as they have always been on the consumer side. Rapidly changing. More women were working and supermarkets stayed open longer to accommodate them. Convenience stores and fast food restaurants opened everywhere, catering to the families who were too busy for leisurely shopping and eating. While on the other hand, an energy crisis, an inflated economy, and a shrinking dollar altered the eating and shopping habits of others in a different way. In an effort to service the families feeling the pinch, some supermarkets opened up low overhead, limited assortment, and warehouse stores in addition to their full line units. But the main supermarket thrust was completely in the opposite direction. Bigger and more attractive emporiums were built, offering a huge variety of products and services under one roof. One of these types, the combination store, weds the fullline supermarket to the modern drugstore. Most of them have installed other non-food departments as well in a further effort to offer their customers the pinnacle of shopping convenience. And then there's the modern superstore. [Music] [Applause] Being the manager of this store is quite an experience. You see this equipment? It's called a scanner. It's great. It's great for our customers and good for us, too. Customers check out much faster with less chance of a mistake on their bills. That machine will give us up to the second read on our sales. It'll tell us what cuts of meat are selling, what products and size of packages the customers are buying. It sure helps to zero in on what our customers want. Since we both work, it helps us a lot to be able to do most of our shopping under one roof. It saves us time and gas, too. And that's important the way things are today. Somehow being here makes me feel like I'm in another time. You know, like Buck Rogers, Star Trek, the future. The store of the future. Who knows? At the rate modern technology is going, these stores may be as obsolete in 20 years as the old general store is today. Yesterday's music, its dances, and its fashions had been replaced by the now way to go. And Mike Cullen would never recognize his supermarket today. For supermarkets today have become a major industry, employing one out of every 100 Americans. Supermarkets have taken a prominent role in our country's society and the affairs of its communities. One thing will never change. People will always eat. And when they shop for food, the supermarket will be ready for them. Ready to offer the products and services the consumer needs and wants. Ready to experiment with new technology and to listen to new ideas. Ready to change as the lifestyles of the American people change. Ready to be what they have always been. The supermarket. A great American invention. A great American institution.