Big Bear Stores
Defunct American regional supermarket and discount department-store chain serving Ohio and West Virginia.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Big Bear Stores was an American regional supermarket and discount department-store chain founded in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1933 by Wayne E. Brown. Its first store opened on February 15, 1934, in a former entertainment and exhibition building on West Lane Avenue near Ohio State University. The chain became an important Midwestern retail pioneer by emphasizing self-service shopping, broad grocery assortments, and store formats that combined food with general merchandise. Big Bear is particularly associated with early supermarket innovation. It was described as the first self-service supermarket in the Midwest and was among the first American supermarkets to use cashier-operated motorized conveyor belts. The company introduced shopping carts in 1937 and developed other distinctive services, including a trolley line for customers. During the 1950s it became the first supermarket in the United States to use an IBM 305 RAMAC computer, reflecting an early interest in applying electronic data processing to retail operations. A 1954 prototype store at Columbus's Graceland Shopping Center also influenced later supermarket layouts by placing perishables centrally and using lower displays to improve visibility. The business expanded from Columbus into communities including Lancaster, Marion, Newark, and Toledo, Ohio, and later operated stores across Ohio and West Virginia. Its activities extended beyond conventional grocery retail. Big Bear operated a farm north of Columbus and maintained the Big Bear Bakery near the Ohio State University campus. In 1954, it acquired Harts Stores, a general-merchandise and department-store operation that had initially operated in the basements of two Big Bear locations. For many years, the company paired grocery stores with adjacent Harts department stores, creating a combined food-and-general-merchandise format. Big Bear also offered private-label and cooperative-brand merchandise. After Wayne E. Brown helped establish Topco Associates in 1948, Big Bear distributed Topco brands such as Food Club and Valu Time. It also sold a proprietary Betty Brown label named after Brown's wife. The chain's Buckeye trading stamps were another familiar part of its customer-retention strategy. Ownership and operating strategy changed repeatedly. Six company executives completed a leveraged buyout that took Big Bear private in 1976, and the company returned to public ownership in 1983. Competition intensified in the late 1980s as alternative supermarket and superstore formats, including Cub Foods and Meijer, entered or expanded in Big Bear's markets. In 1989, Penn Traffic acquired Big Bear after the company was placed on the market. Big Bear subsequently became a Penn Traffic division and carried substantial debt associated with the transaction. The company experimented with warehouse-style grocery stores during the 1980s and launched the larger Big Bear Plus hyperstore format in 1988. These stores combined approximately 40 percent food with 60 percent general merchandise and represented an effort to integrate the Big Bear grocery and Harts department-store concepts. During the early 1990s, the company favored Big Bear Plus over the standalone Harts format, converting or closing many Harts locations. The chain's competitive position weakened during the 1990s. Management attempted to broaden Big Bear's appeal by moving the business down-market and reducing operating costs, but customers and employees reported deteriorating store conditions. The 1997 “All We Did Was Listen” advertising campaign, featuring division president Phillip Hawkins, became associated with this turnaround effort and was later remembered critically by some shoppers and employees. By 2003, suppliers were withdrawing merchandise as accounts became overdue, while store closures and declining sales reflected the division's financial problems. Penn Traffic entered its second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a decade, and all remaining Big Bear stores closed by the beginning of 2004. Some former locations were subsequently reopened by competitors, including Giant Eagle and Kroger, while others remained vacant. The Big Bear name therefore survives primarily as a historical example of regional supermarket innovation and the difficulties faced by traditional chains confronting superstores, warehouse formats, and highly competitive grocery markets.
History
Big Bear Stores began in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1933, when Wayne E. Brown established the company as a self-service grocery retailer. The first store opened on February 15, 1934, on West Lane Avenue near Ohio State University. The site had previously been used as a dance hall, roller-skating rink, and horse-show venue. Within two years, Big Bear had added several Columbus stores and expanded into other Ohio communities. The company's early growth was built around self-service retail. Big Bear was identified as the first self-service supermarket in the Midwest and pioneered several operational features, including cashier-operated motorized conveyor belts. It introduced shopping carts in 1937 and operated customer-oriented services such as a trolley line. The company also developed supporting businesses, including a farm north of Columbus and the Big Bear Bakery near the Ohio State campus. In 1948, Brown joined other supermarket operators in founding Topco Associates. Big Bear distributed Topco products, including Food Club and Valu Time, while also selling its own Betty Brown private label. Its Buckeye trading-stamp program provided another means of encouraging repeat shopping. In the 1950s, Big Bear adopted advanced retail technology, becoming the first supermarket in the United States to use an IBM 305 RAMAC computer. A 1954 prototype store at Graceland Shopping Center introduced a layout that emphasized central perishables and lower product displays. Big Bear broadened its retail scope in 1954 by acquiring Harts Stores, a department-store operation that had been located in the basements of two Big Bear stores. The company subsequently operated grocery stores with adjacent Harts general-merchandise stores, creating a combined food-and-department-store model. This structure helped Big Bear expand beyond food while retaining its regional identity. The company underwent major ownership changes in the late twentieth century. It was taken private through a leveraged buyout by six executives in 1976 and returned to public ownership in 1983. By the late 1980s, however, competition from formats such as Cub Foods and Meijer was putting pressure on traditional regional supermarkets. Big Bear placed itself on the market in late 1988, and Penn Traffic acquired it in April 1989. Big Bear became a Penn Traffic division in 1993. During the 1980s, some Big Bear grocery stores were converted to a warehouse-style concept known as The Grocery Warehouse. In July 1988, the company introduced Big Bear Plus, a hyperstore format with a substantially larger footprint and an assortment weighted toward general merchandise. The concept combined the grocery business with elements of Harts. During the early 1990s, Big Bear chose to favor Big Bear Plus and converted or closed many standalone Harts locations. Twenty-one Big Bear Plus stores existed before the company failed. After the Penn Traffic acquisition, management changed the chain's market strategy. The business moved down-market and reduced operating overhead in an attempt to compete more directly on price and reach a broader customer base. Steven Breech and his leadership team were removed, and Phillip Hawkins, formerly associated with Vons, was brought in as a turnaround executive. Store payroll and operating costs were reduced, but shoppers and employees criticized declining conditions in some Columbus-area locations. In June 1997, Big Bear launched the “All We Did Was Listen” campaign, with Hawkins appearing alongside employees in advertisements intended to reassure customers and demonstrate management responsiveness. The campaign became controversial in the broader, informal sense that it was widely remembered as inconsistent with the deteriorating shopping experience. Big Bear's sales continued to weaken as competition grew, and cost reductions contributed to further pressure on store operations. By 2003, the division was experiencing serious cash-flow problems. Suppliers withdrew products as accounts became overdue, store closures increased, and remaining locations struggled to maintain full assortments. Penn Traffic's second Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a decade finalized the chain's decline. All remaining Big Bear stores closed by early 2004. Several locations were later acquired and reopened by Giant Eagle or Kroger, while others remained unused. Big Bear also had a former employee credit union, founded in 1957, that changed its name to Members First Credit Union in 2003 as its membership became less dependent on Big Bear employment.
- 2004
All remaining stores close
[1]Big Bear ceased operations after Penn Traffic entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
- 2003
Employee credit union changes identity
[1]Big Bear Employees Credit Union changed its name to Members First Credit Union as only a minority of members still worked for Big Bear.
- 2000
Wild Card savings card introduced
[1]Big Bear introduced its Wild Card savings card across its stores.
- 1997
All We Did Was Listen campaign
[1]Big Bear launched a turnaround-oriented advertising campaign featuring president Phillip Hawkins.
- 1991
Harts locations converted
[1]Ten side-by-side Big Bear and Harts locations were converted to the Big Bear Plus format.
- 1989
Penn Traffic acquisition
[1]Penn Traffic acquired Big Bear in April following the chain's decision to seek a buyer.
- 1988
Big Bear Plus introduced
[1]The company launched its hyperstore format in Wintersville and Bridgeport, Ohio.
- 1983
Company returns to public ownership
[1]Big Bear became publicly traded again after its period of private ownership.
- 1976
Company taken private
[1]Six company executives completed a leveraged buyout that took Big Bear private.
- 1957
Employee credit union established
[1]Employees established Big Bear Employees Credit Union in June.
Products and positioning
Regional supermarket and discount department-store retailer combining grocery products with general merchandise, private-label goods, and large-format value shopping.
Supermarket format · 1934
Big Bear supermarkets
The core Big Bear format sold groceries, fresh foods, bakery products, household goods, clothing, and other general merchandise. Stores served Ohio and West Virginia communities and were known for self-service operations and early supermarket innovations.
Hyperstore · 1988
Big Bear Plus
Big Bear Plus was a large-format store combining the company's grocery business with the general-merchandise role previously associated with Harts. The format allocated roughly 40 percent of its assortment to food and 60 percent to general merchandise, making it an early regional superstore concept.
Warehouse grocery
The Grocery Warehouse
The Grocery Warehouse was a warehouse-style grocery concept used for some Big Bear stores during the 1980s. Although operated under a separate format name, the locations remained owned and managed by Big Bear.
Department store · 1954
Harts Stores
Harts was a general-merchandise and department-store operation acquired by Big Bear in 1954. Harts stores were often placed next to Big Bear supermarkets, allowing the company to offer food and non-food shopping in a coordinated retail complex.
Private-label food brand
Betty Brown
Betty Brown was Big Bear's proprietary private label, named for Wayne E. Brown's wife. It supplemented the cooperative Topco brands sold through the chain.
Loyalty program · 2000
Big Bear Wild Card
The Wild Card was Big Bear's savings-card program, introduced in 2000 as the chain responded to competing supermarket loyalty cards. After Big Bear closed, Kroger announced that it would honor the cards in its stores.
Marketing campaigns
- 1997All We Did Was Listen
Ohio · West Virginia
The campaign featured Big Bear president Phillip Hawkins speaking with employees and presenting management as responsive to shopper and workforce concerns. It supported a broader turnaround strategy focused on lower overhead and a wider mass-market appeal.
Outcome. The campaign did not reverse Big Bear's competitive and financial decline and was later viewed critically in accounts describing deteriorating store conditions.
Brand decisions
2004
Closure following Penn Traffic bankruptcyOtherBackground
Big Bear experienced cash-flow problems, supplier withdrawals, declining sales, and store closures while its parent company entered Chapter 11 proceedings.
Action taken
All remaining Big Bear stores were closed by the beginning of 2004.
Aftermath
Some former locations reopened under Giant Eagle or Kroger, while others remained vacant.
2000
Introduction of the Wild Card savings cardOtherBackground
Big Bear responded to the growing use of supermarket loyalty cards, particularly Kroger's card program.
Action taken
The chain introduced the Big Bear Wild Card at all stores on September 14.
Aftermath
Kroger later announced that it would honor Big Bear Wild Cards after Big Bear ceased operations.
- Kroger — Kroger announced that it would honor Big Bear Wild Cards in its stores after the chain closed.
1993
Down-market repositioning and cost reductionStrategyBackground
After becoming a Penn Traffic division, Big Bear faced lower sales volumes and stronger competition.
Action taken
Management broadened the target customer base, reduced overhead, and changed leadership, replacing Steven Breech with Phillip Hawkins.
Aftermath
Cost reductions were followed by complaints about declining store conditions, while sales and cash flow continued to deteriorate.
1989
Sale to Penn TrafficM&ABackground
Competitive pressure led Big Bear to put itself on the market after decades as an independent regional chain.
Action taken
Penn Traffic acquired Big Bear in April 1989.
Aftermath
Big Bear became a Penn Traffic division in 1993 and operated under a heavier financial burden associated with the acquisition.
Offer price per common share. $35 per share offer (1989)
1988
Launch of the Big Bear Plus formatProduct launchBackground
Big Bear faced increasing competition from alternative supermarket and superstore formats and sought to combine food and general merchandise more effectively.
Action taken
The company opened large Big Bear Plus stores in Wintersville and Bridgeport, Ohio.
Aftermath
The company later converted or closed many Harts locations in favor of the Big Bear Plus concept and operated 21 Big Bear Plus stores before its failure.
1976
Management-led leveraged buyoutM&ABackground
Big Bear changed from public ownership to private ownership during a period of executive-led restructuring.
Action taken
Six company executives completed a leveraged buyout of the business.
Aftermath
The company returned to public ownership in 1983.
Sources1 sources
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