Schegmann in Metairie at Vets & Division Street
A tradition that began in 1869; Schwegmann Giant Supermarkets were a place for New Orleaneans to "make groceries". Schwegmann started as a small grocery store and became the largest grocer in New Orleans. Some of the stores built in the 1960's such as Harvey and Algiers had mini-malls attached to the store. Some of the stores such as the Old Gentilly Rd location had businesses in the front of the store just like the Wal-Mart superstores of today. Schwegmann became the largest grocer in the New Orleans area and acquired the National Food store chain in the mid 1990's. Since Schwegmann had a near monopoly of the New Orleans market they were forced to close seven of their acquired stores. The acquisition also put the company into financial trouble and the chain was purchased by Kohlberg and Co after 127 years in business. The chain only lasted a little more than a year after the takeover and closed all the stores in 1999. The Schwegmann stores were known for their low prices and huge selection of store branded items. Fiesta Markets in Houston are very similar in layout and merchandise selection to the Schwegmann Giant Markets in New Orleans. Some of the old markets have been converted to different brands, but several have been abandoned or demolished.
Here is the Mardi Gras Carnival Corner that was open during Mardi Gras season. The Carnival Corner sold beads, parade supplies, and novelties.
Here is another shot of the Schegmann in Metairie at Vets & Division Street. This store was demolished in the early 2000's and replaced by a Lowe's home improvement store.
What a shame!
ReplyDeleteIt is all too easy to cry over losing an old friend and, all to hard to find a new one.I don't think any thing can really replace them. So long Schegmanns, you guys will be missed!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Metarie in the early 80's I shopped at Schwegmann's all the time. It was a great store. I recently visited Metarie for the first time in over 20 years. It made me very sad to see the Lowe's had replaced Schwegmann's on Veteran's.
ReplyDeleteThere was just nothing like Schwegmann's in the NOLA area.
ReplyDeleteAin't there no more....I remember the lounge at the front of the Schweggmans store on Gentilly when I was a child in the '60's.....My mom tried really hard to avoowid telling me what that was! I used to love to go to the fish market and look at all the strange fish that were for sale....wow~
ReplyDeleteWorked at the Airline Hwy store just down from Causeway Blvd. A great before and after school job in the early 70's. Never made a lot of money, but that was where I learned to do a job very well. The people I worked with and for were always very nice. Most of us were just high school kids and some in college. Had some real good times in that store.
ReplyDeleteI haven't lived in N,O, in over 25 yrs. but when I think about growing up in NO and Metairie Schweggmanns is a part of my thoughts and memories. What was great he carried all the local company's products. Big Shot drinks, Hubig pies, Jacks, Dixie, Falstaff beer, and etc. It was New Orleans. Making Grocery's at Schweggmanns was a big part of my life. Miss you a lot.
ReplyDeleteYou can get Dixie Beer again in most parts of the state at grocery stores. I am not sure of the status of Hubig pies since their factory burned down. Big Shot is still going strong but so many other New Orleans things are gone.
DeleteUncle John was tough but fair. He gave a lot of people jobs in the store.I am glad to see the people of New Orleans remember.
ReplyDeleteWhat I would give for just 1 Schwaggmann store. Everything you needed _
ReplyDeleteWith the right price
Schwegmann sold out in late 1996 to KKR, which put into place a bunch of store closings--many of which were acquired from National. Schwegmann had planned to convert National, That Stanley, Canal Villere, and The Real Superstore to their own name, but since a Real Superstore exists in Baton Rouge (with its name almost entirely intact until being altered to "store" c. 2012), that obviously never happened.
ReplyDeleteIn March 1999, they sold 6 stores to A&P, which converted them to Sav-a-Centre, but didn't close them in the converting process (employees went through a re-hiring process)...or at least that's what would have happened had Schwegmann not filed for bankruptcy. In mid-1999 all their stores closed, and A&P renovated and reopened theirs.
Thanks for the additional information, the stores really began changing when KKR took them over. The first sign of trouble for me was when they began having lots of empty spots on the shelves. Schwegmanns had a huge selection of just about everything. They were some of the earliest supermarkets in the New Orleans area with supercenter sized locations. They lost their identity with the new company and shoppers noticed the changes. Since the company never expanded more than 200 miles outside of the city and took over way too many locations in the New Orleans area they hurt themselves. I really enjoyed shopping at these stores and still have some store branded products in my collection including an unopened bottle of Schwegmann liquor. There are a couple of old locations still standing and untouched since the store closed. One you can find in my Tall Timbers Mall article, the other store is in Gentilly near the industrial canal. There is another store in Slidell that has been partially redeveloped but most of the old store is still untouched.
DeleteRoof parking.....pharmacists in attic
ReplyDeleteWorked on the airline highway store in 1975. Www.drpfastship.com
ReplyDeleteWow work on the airline hwy store near Kenner in 1975...
ReplyDeleteD Picou
so did i in '84. Memories are weirdly sad, now, looking back
DeleteMy dad and I both worked at the location in Harvey west bank exspressway. Paid the bills. Its a shame many of those retail jobs are being eliminated due to technology like online shopping and self check outs. and you rarely see bagboys and girls anymore , in some stores you must bag it yourself, it sucks.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment on your history at the Manhattan Schwegmann. We lived right off Manhattan from 1983 to 1986 so we frequented that store. We also visited the small Kmart there from time to time, but my parents preferred the larger Kmart stores on Lapalco. I don't know if you still live in the area, but the Tall Timbers Mall which was very similar to the Manhattan Mall (Old news articles called that location Manhattan Mall). Here is my article from that mall. http://southernretail.blogspot.com/2012/02/tall-timbers-mall.html
DeleteI grew up in a small town in North Louisiana. After graduating from college I took a job in the New Orleans area and lived on the West Bank. I was amazed at the Schwegmann stores and shopped at the West Bank store regularly. In 76 I was transferred by my company to S Texas. I really missed Schwegmann's and had to settle for HEB down there. I learned to the Schwegmann demise years later. Another NOLA tradition gone by the wayside.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your experiences in New Orleans. HEB is good, but the grocery stores here in Texas just don't carry the same things we can find in New Orleans/SE Louisiana.
DeleteI was just talking about Schwegmann Super Market, the other day. I remember the store that on Announciation Street, in New Orleans, LA.
ReplyDeleteReading the many posts bought back memories about Schwegmann. Great low prices and the shelves were loaded up.
Any other can take the place of Schwegmann...
I use to like Schwegmann's when I was a kid. My favorite Schwegmann's was the Harvey and the Algerias one.
ReplyDeleteI wish I would have documented more stores including the inside of this store. Thanks for the comment.
DeleteIn a recent interview, Tommy Wiseau of "The Room" fame said that he used to work at a Schwegmann's.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, I wonder how many people Schwegmann's employed over the years.
DeleteMoved to New Orleans in 1966 and rented an apartment near the Gentilly Road store. I loved the place! Everything you wanted, wide aisles, nice people working there. Fate (and a better job) decreed that I move from NOLA in 1971, but I took a couple of bottles of Schwegmann's vodka. I still have them unopened as a reminder of the good old days. I tried to get back to NOLA at least a few times per year for visits and would then shop at the Slidell store and stock up on cases of Dixie Beer and low-priced alcohol. Was much saddened when I came back for one of my visits in 2000 or so and found these wonderful stores closed. I still try to get back when I can, but I am getting some real mileage on me and that 8-hour drive seems to tire me out nowadays. Dammit, I ought to just move back to NOLA!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your memories Chester. It is a struggle to visit New Orleans when you live that far away.
DeleteWe haven't been since around St Patrick's day in 2019. The fact that all of the parades were canceled for St. Patrick's Day in 2020 and all parades this year so far has been a real bummer. I don't know how I would feel seeing the city right now with all of the Covid restrictions in place. After Katrina it was a very sad and empty place to visit. The city will bounce back though, it always does. By this time next year the city should be back to life.
I worked at the Harvey location during high school 1974. Meet young John several times as he did walk throughs . Was always treated fair.
ReplyDeleteAwesome, do you have any photos of the store from that era by chance? If you do you can send them to southernmalls@gmail.com
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