Chatham (grocer)
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | mid-1950s Michigan, United States |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Fate | Defunct |
| Headquarters | |
Key people | Peter Weisberg Alex Dandy |
| Products | Groceries |
| Owners | Weisberg family (up to 1985) Alex Dandy (1986–1987) |
Chatham was a supermarket chain, now defunct, headquartered in southeastern Michigan, United States.
History
The Jewish Weisberg family,[1] already in the grocery business, purchased Chatham Village Supermarket in 1947.[2][3] By 1963, Chatham (the "Village" having been dropped) had grown to nine stores in East Side Detroit.[4] Peter Weisberg served as president and chairman of the board[2] and various other family members occupied top executive positions.[3] By August 1968, it had grown to 24 stores.[5]
In 1975, it was the first company in the Michigan area to try out the Universal Product Code.[6]
In October 1980, it was believed that Chatham was the second largest supermarket chain in the region by number of stores (44) and sales volume (around $550 million), behind Farmer Jack, although this could not be confirmed because Chatham was privately owned and did not provide any data.[7] That year, it also had three Warehouse Way discount drugstores and a Chatham Plus superstore and opened a warehouse store called Pak-n-Save.[7] In 1982, the Chatham Plus five-year experiment was considered a failure, as was a wholesale meat processing plant;[8] opening in 1966, the latter closed in January 1979.[9] At the time of its sale in May 1985, the chain had either 50 stores,[3] 39 stores, or 33 supermarkets and eight Pak-n-Saves;[10] it was purchased by Nu-Trax, Inc., headed by Wendell Smith.[10][11]
In March 1986, Nu-Trax was purchased by Alex Dandy, a businessman who owned the Hamady Brothers food chain in Flint, Michigan,[11][12] at which point Chatham was down to 21 stores and 1000 employees.[13] Under his leadership, all but two stores were shut down.[13] Dandy illegally diverted assets of the company for his personal benefit, and Chatham was forced to file for bankruptcy in 1987.[11] Dandy was convicted in 1991, of tax offenses, mail fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and obstruction of justice.[11]
References
- ^ Bolkosky, Sidney M. (1991). Harmony & Dissonance: Voices of Jewish Identity in Detroit, 1914–1967. Wayne State University Press. p. 281. ISBN 0-8143-1933-5. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ a b "Peter Weisberg, 96, founder of Chatham supermarkets". Detroit Free Press. March 23, 1987. p. 55. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Remembering Alvin Weisberg". The Detroit Jewish News. Retrieved July 11, 2025.
- ^ "Trading Stamps Grow Despite Setbacks". Detroit Free Press. October 10, 1963. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Food Chains Will Halt Grape Sales". United Press International. August 13, 1968. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ McGee, Gay (July 10, 1975). "Food Firms Gear Up for New Computer Age". The Bay City Times – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Elliott, Stuart (October 21, 1980). "Chatham will open a warehouse outlet". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Michigan markets battle it out". Detroit Free Press. April 19, 1982. p. 24. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chatham Supermarkets to close meat-processing plant in Warren". Detroit Free Press. January 11, 1979 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Fogel, Helen (December 24, 1985). "Borman's buys nine local Nu-Trax stores". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com. The article states both 39 stores and 33 supermarkets/eight Pak-n-Saves.
- ^ a b c d United States of America, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Alex Dandy, Defendant-appellant, 998 F.2d 1344 (6th Cir. September 15, 1993).
- ^ Henderson, Tom (1 June 1992). "The looting of Chatham. (Alex Dandy convicted for plundering Chatham Supermarkets Inc.)". Corporate Detroit. Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2012.
- ^ a b Lawrence, Beverly Hall (December 7, 1987). "Another Dandy feud". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved July 11, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.