Clarence Saunders developed an American supermarket chain whose first outlet opened in what year?
Clarence Saunders (grocer) Clarence Saunders (August 9, 1881 – September 23, 1953) was an American grocer who first developed the modern retail sales model of self service. His ideas have had a massive influence on the development of the modern supermarket. Clarence Saunders worked for most of his life trying to develop a truly automated store, developing Piggly Wiggly, Keedoozle, and Foodelectric store concepts.
Twin Fair Twin Fair, Inc. was a discount department store chain based in Buffalo, New York. It was incorporated on March 22, 1956, and the first store opened on Walden Avenue. By 1959, four stores were in operation and sales stood at $2.5 million. In 1962, the founders sold the company to Unexcelled Chemicals, Corp., and also expanded the chain to include groceries. The company continued to expand opening an eighth store in 1967 on Seneca Street, along with stores in Connecticut and Cincinnati, Ohio. By 1970, through expansion and acquisition, the chain grew to 37 stores located primarily in New York and Ohio. The Ohio stores were later sold to Meijer, which briefly converted them to a concept called Meijer Square. In 1978, they added Hens & Kelly to their portfolio.