A&P was the world's largest retailer in 1930 — by 2015 every store was closed

The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, known as A&P, was founded in New York City in 1859 and grew to become the world's largest retailer by 1930, with more than 15,000 stores and $2.9 billion in sales. In the 1940s, A&P captured 10% of all US grocery spending — twice as large as Sears and four times the size of Kroger. The company was a retail pioneer, introducing the economy store format and the cash-and-carry model that eliminated credit and delivery.

The decline began in the 1950s. A&P paid out most of its profits as dividends to satisfy trust income needs, starving the business of capital for modernization. It invested heavily in private-label manufacturing while national brands, boosted by the rise of television advertising, grew in demand. A&P's workforce was older and more expensive than competitors', and the company tried to offset this by understaffing stores — leading to long lines and empty shelves. By the time Walmart and discount grocers emerged, A&P had lost decades of competitive ground.

On December 12, 2010, A&P filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with $2.5 billion in assets and $3.2 billion in debt, operating 395 stores. It emerged as a private company in early 2012, but the turnaround never materialized. On July 19, 2015, A&P filed for Chapter 11 again, now with 296 stores and 28,500 employees. The next day, it announced the sale of its stores to Albertsons, Stop & Shop, and regional grocers. All supermarkets were closed by Thanksgiving 2015.