Nostalgic Grocery Store Chain Is Returning to Otsego and Chenango County

A merger between Tops and Price Chopper/Market 32 that was approved in 2020 will bring back a nostalgic grocery store chain to two different locations in our area: one in Otsego County and the other in Chenango County. The Tops grocery store at
5 Commons Dr. in Cooperstown and the Tops at 54 E Main St. in Norwich will both be transformed into Grand Union stores according to PriceChopper.com.

The new parent company of these stores is Northeast Grocery, Inc., headquartered in Schenectady, which will oversee operations with the current CEO of Price Chopper/Market 32, Scott Grimmett at the helm of Northeast. The good news from PriceChopper.com is that the store in Cooperstown and Norwich which are earmarked for the change to become Grand Union stores (two of twelve stores across New York State), will retain current union employees and managers.

According to WKTV.com, the Cooperstown Tops Market will close on January 30 and reopen on February 5 as a Grand Union with the official grand opening on March 4, 2022.

Personally, I wish that a Grand Union was returning to Oneonta. It was located in the Ames plaza at the west end of Oneonta. Since I was a young adult on my own, I used to shop at Grand Union because I felt that store had the best prices in town. It certainly wasn't a fancy modern store when I shopped there. In fact, it was rather dated in its decor and worn around the edge as they say but the isles were wide and the prices were low. It was exactly what I liked. I look forward to a bit of a nostalgic shopping experience when Grand Union comes to Cooperstown, even if the new store bears no resemblance to my beloved Oneonta Grand Union of 30 years ago, with the exception of the name on the storefront.