“It’s New! It’s Modern! It’s Terrific!”
Century Food Market promised big values and big savings when it opened in July 1952 as the anchor store of Westgate Shopping Center at West Market Street and South Hawkins Avenue in Akron.
When the automatic doors swung wide, customers stepped into air-conditioned comfort and roamed the bright, gleaming aisles of a 21,000-square-foot supermarket.
“The Store of the Century” was imported from Youngstown for Akron’s shopping pleasure 65 years ago. The Wallhaven market was the 18th location for the regional chain, which traced its origin to 1917 when Russian immigrants Samuel and Dina Aron opened a small grocery on Chicago Avenue in Youngstown.
Their four sons, Fador, Harry, Julius and Norman, founded the chain in 1940, anticipating that self-serve supermarkets would eventually supplant mom and pop shops in neighborhoods. In addition to Youngstown, the family operated stores in Warren, Berea and Ellwood City, Pa.
Century Foods followed Youngstown developer Edward J. DeBartolo to Akron in 1952 after he built Westgate Shopping Center for $750,000 (about $18 million today). The market soon was joined by other tenants, including F.W. Woolworth, Gray Drug Store, Wagoner-Marsh and Irene’s Women’s Apparel.
It was a carnival atmosphere when the supermarket held an open house Sunday, July 13, at 1688 W. Market St. Most of the 300 free parking spaces were filled with automobiles.
The Tommy Tucker Orchestra performed, and Miss Pennsylvania 1952 Claire Lippert sang. WCUE morning DJ Art Ross served as master of ceremonies, Akron Mayor Charles Slusser officiated at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and a Pathe news crew filmed the event for a showing at the Palace Theater.
About 18,000 people inspected the store from 1 to 7 p.m., but they didn’t buy a thing! Century Foods didn’t technically open until the next morning, July 14.
At Monday’s opening of “the largest food store in Ohio,” a little person in a bear costume welcomed shoppers. Teddy Snow Crop, a trademarked character of Snow Crop Frozen Foods, was 38 inches tall and weighed 75 pounds. Other attractions included Texas Jane’s Wonder Pony and Old Eli’s Ferris Wheel. Children were handed free balloons and bubble gum and could play in the Kiddie Korner while their parents shopped.
Grand-opening specials included meat (chuck roast, 53 cents a pound; chicken, 49 cents a pound; ham, 39 cents a pound; and link sausage, 39 cents a pound), fresh produce (oranges, 45 cents a dozen; grapes, 29 cents a pound; tomatoes, 39 cents a pound; and lemons, five for 29 cents) and name-brand products (Smucker’s grape jam, a 12-ounce jar for 19 cents; Libby’s pork and beans, two 14-ounce cans for 27 cents; Ritz Crackers, a 1-pound box for 29 cents; and Dinty Moore beef stew, a 24-ounce can for 53 cents.
A free bag of groceries valued at $10 was presented on the hour every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from July 17 to Aug. 9. Also, four $500 diamond rings were presented at 9 p.m. Saturday for four weeks.
Century Foods also offered S&H Green Stamps. One stamp was given for every 10 cents spent. Shoppers filled stamp books and redeemed them for premiums.
John Hatala and Arnold Cerny co-managed the store, which employed about 85 workers, including department heads, meat cutters, cashiers, stock clerks, dairy clerks, meat wrappers and carryout boys.
For employees, the chain pledged high income, life insurance, a payroll savings plan, pleasant working conditions, paid vacations, sick benefits, hospitalization and surgery coverage.
One of the store’s mottoes was “A better place to shop, a better place to work.” According to the norms of the era, though, the business preferred to hire men over women for most jobs.
“I’d choose the man every time,” assistant manager James Higgins said in a 1952 interview with the Beacon Journal. “I’ve worked 17 years in food markets and I feel justified in saying this. It’s harder to get women to work in harmony. They are more sensitive and more easily upset.
“Of course, there are jobs like cashier’s jobs for which women are better suited because they are better on detail work than men.”
Within months of the Akron store’s opening, rumors began to circulate that Loblaw Inc. of Buffalo was interested in buying the Century Food Market Co. chain. Jules J. Aron, president of the company, denied that a sale was in the works.
Instead, the company expanded in Greater Akron, adding locations at Arlington Plaza, Wooster-Hawkins Plaza, Coventry Plaza, 866 W. Wilbeth Road in Akron, 655 W. Portage Trail in Cuyahoga Falls, University Plaza in Kent and finally Lakemore Plaza.
The takeover rumors began to circulate again. In May 1961, Loblaw Inc. bought out the 39-store Century Food Market Co. chain. There was no denying it this time.
“The Store of the Century” turned out to be “The Store of the Decade” — at least in Akron.
Mark J. Price can be reached at 330-996-3850 or mjprice@thebeaconjournal.com.