This Day In Norwood History-January 28, 1948-Norwood A&P’s New “Store Of Tomorrow” Open Thursday

The “Store of Tomorrow” will be unveiled in Norwood on Thursday when A & P Food Stores celebrates the completion of remodeling operations at its streamlined supermarket at Cottage and Central streets.

More than 3,000 different food items will be available in the eight complete departments which feature the store while a completely new bakery department has been installed.

“Installation of new equipment in every food department will enable us to offer the public the most complete service in the company’s history,” according to, J. W. Kelly, vice-president of A&P and in charge of the company’s operations here.

‘This store combines the practical results, of years of experimental work,” Mr, “Kelly said. “Although some of the innovations are still in the experimental stage, we ate convinced that this type of food outfit will be the accepted standard in the near future.” Departments specializing in the handling of foods are bakery, candy, fresh produce, frozen foods. grocery, dairy, coffee, and meat, Each department has the self-service feature while the meat department will also have trained personnel to serve shoppers.

Everything Under Glass

An innovation Ih the supermarket is the installation of a special glass-enclosed cheese and meat cutting and packaging room. All cutting, weighing. and packaging of picnic meats and cheeses will be done in this room before the items are placed in self-service refrigerated cases.

Highlights of the store are the Holly Carter Candy Department and the Jane Parker Bakery Department, which is staffed by ten trained salesgirls. This department features fresh “homelike” baked goods which are prepared in the Companys Somerville bakery and delivered daily to the store.

Roland Deslatirier will manage the streamlined market which employs 60 men and women full time. The assistant manager is Charles A. Whipple, H. Sylvester McNeil heads the meat. department; John Paccieretti, the produce department; and Winslow Conant, the coffee dairy department.

The grocery department will carry a complete selection of groceries and household items. The development of completely new and streamlined shelving will permit the display of a wider variety of food items.

A frozen foods department will carry a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition, packaged ice cream will be kept in these cases and insulated bags are available for carrying home the delicacy without fear of the ice cream melting or spoiling.

Milestone In A&P Career

The opening of the “Store of Tomorrow” in Norwood marks another milestone in the career of A&P in this area, Mr. Kelly said. Since the first A&P opened here, he. pointed out, housewives have found that the economies affected by the food chain in the streamlining of the distribution of food stuffs have made possible the purchase of quality merchandise at the lowest practical prices.

The large turnover of products, an essential part of the supermarket operation, means the company can operate on a narrow profit margin, passing on the savings to both growers and consumers, he said.

These savings were not accomplished at the expense of the employees, he emphasized, for the company was the first grocery retailer to adopt a five-day, 45-hour week. In addition, all A&P employees are granted insurance benefits, vacation with pay, and sick leave.

“Night Before’ Dinner at Lewis’ Restaurant

On the night before the opening, the store employees will attend a dinner at Lewis’ Restaurant. Representatives of Norwood’s civic and business interests, as well as company officials, will also attend.

January 28, 1948- The Norwood Messenger