Eagle Food Centers
Encyclopedia
Eagle Food Centers was a chain of supermarkets that operated in Iowa
, Wisconsin, and Illinois
for a number of years. The company was based out of Milan, Illinois
, which is near the Quad Cities
of Illinois
and Iowa
. The company operated stores under many names, including BOGO'S, Eagle Country Market, Eagle Discount Centers, Eagle Discount Supermarkets, Eagle Food Centers, May's Drug
and MEMCO
. Eagle also operated stores in Houston, Texas
known as Eagle Supermarkets until March 1985. The chain held a 6 percent market share and had 1,100 employees before leaving the area.
stores. The Eagle and Piggly Wiggly operations were combined and operated from Eagle's corporate office and warehouse in Milan, Illinois. In 1965, Coin Bakery, Rock Island, was purchased and became a part of Eagle under the name Harvest Day Bakery.
buys Eagle Food Centers from Consolidated Foods Corp. Eagle Food Centers and Piggly Wiggly stores were renamed Eagle Discount Supermarkets, following Lucky's unique and successful discount pricing program. Lucky establishes Lucky Midwestern Division headquarters in Milan, Illinois.
In November 1988, Eagle applies for building permit to allow a $1.2 million, 23800 square feet (2,211.1 m²) expansion to Milan warehouse. Company also announces $1 million expansion of Geneseo store on U.S. 6, expanding the building from 19,000 to 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²). In August 1989, Eagle becomes a publicly owned corporation.
, Hy-Vee
, Walmart and Kroger
. The first sign of this was the selling of the Harvest Day bakery plant in Rock Island, Illinois to the Metz Baking Company in 1998. The company went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2000.
In 2003, Eagle Food Stores ceased operations, and sold off its assets. Some of the stores were acquired by other chains, such as Hy-Vee
, Kroger
, Albertsons, and Butera. The Downtown Eagle Corporation was founded to take over two stores - one in Clinton, Iowa
and the other in Dubuque, Iowa
. They purchased the rights to the Eagle Country Market name and signage and operate the two stores under the Eagle Country Market name. One location in Coralville, IA was purchased by GEICO
and converted into a call center. One location in Cedar Rapids was bought by Rockwell Collins
; another site was bought by Auto Zone.
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, Wisconsin, and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
for a number of years. The company was based out of Milan, Illinois
Milan, Illinois
Milan is a village in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,257 at the 2000 census.The village is located near the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Before ceasing operations in 2003, Eagle Food Centers was based out of Milan....
, which is near the Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. The company operated stores under many names, including BOGO'S, Eagle Country Market, Eagle Discount Centers, Eagle Discount Supermarkets, Eagle Food Centers, May's Drug
Lucky Stores
Lucky Stores is an American supermarket chain founded in Alameda County, California in 1935. Lucky is currently operated by SuperValu in Southern California and Nevada and by Save Mart in Northern California and Nevada.In 1998, Lucky's parent company, American Stores, was taken over by Albertsons,...
and MEMCO
Gemco
Gemco was an American, particularly California chain of membership department stores that was owned by San Leandro-based Lucky Stores, a California supermarket company which has since been acquired in the 1980s by American Stores Company, which was later acquired by Albertsons in 1999. It operated...
. Eagle also operated stores in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
known as Eagle Supermarkets until March 1985. The chain held a 6 percent market share and had 1,100 employees before leaving the area.
Beginning
In 1893, Tenenbom family opens the forerunner of Eagle's chain in Davenport. In 1921, Geifman's and Eagle Kash and Karry open small neighborhood markets in the Quad-Cities, specializing in fruits and vegetables. These two operations grew during the 1930s as both family operations added new stores. Eagle's was owned by brother in laws, Frank Weindruch and Isadore Pesses. The Rock Island Geifman brothers, Ben and Morris, owned the Illinois Geifman stores. Their uncle George and his sons, Morris and Sam owned the Iowa Geifman stores. By 1935, self-service became an important part of the grocery business, with Eagle and other stores responding by allowing self-service at lower prices.1950s-1960s
In 1952, Abe Tenenbom died, and his nephew, Richard Waxenberg takes over Tenenboms, and the Illinois Geifman's merge their five stores with the eight stores of Davenport's Tenenbom-Waxenberg family. Together, they became known as United Supermarkets. In 1954, United merged with 10 stores of Eagle Kash and Karry, forming the largest area chain, called Eagle-United Supermarkets. In 1957, New Milan warehouse construction is completed with 155000 square feet (14,400 m²) of space. The former Eagle warehouse was on Fifth Avenue in Moline, and was sold to Fresh-Pak Candy. In 1961, Eagle is purchased by Consolidated Foods Corp. of Chicago, one of the nation's leading food processors and distributors. Consolidated operated 68 Piggly WigglyPiggly Wiggly
Piggly Wiggly is a supermarket chain operating in the Midwestern and Southern regions of the United States, run by Piggly Wiggly, LLC, an affiliate of C&S Wholesale Grocers. The current company headquarters is in Keene, New Hampshire....
stores. The Eagle and Piggly Wiggly operations were combined and operated from Eagle's corporate office and warehouse in Milan, Illinois. In 1965, Coin Bakery, Rock Island, was purchased and became a part of Eagle under the name Harvest Day Bakery.
Sale to Lucky
In 1968, California-based Lucky StoresLucky Stores
Lucky Stores is an American supermarket chain founded in Alameda County, California in 1935. Lucky is currently operated by SuperValu in Southern California and Nevada and by Save Mart in Northern California and Nevada.In 1998, Lucky's parent company, American Stores, was taken over by Albertsons,...
buys Eagle Food Centers from Consolidated Foods Corp. Eagle Food Centers and Piggly Wiggly stores were renamed Eagle Discount Supermarkets, following Lucky's unique and successful discount pricing program. Lucky establishes Lucky Midwestern Division headquarters in Milan, Illinois.
1980s
In 1981, Eagle operates 136 stores and has sales of $1.2 billion. Expands into the Midwest by opening a new distribution center in Westville, Indiana. In 1984, United Food and Commercial Workers Strike Eagle Foods Stores in Illinois & Iowa resulting in the creation of a bitter labor atmosphere. In 1985, Westville distribution center closes after only four years. In November 1987, Lucky Stores sells majority ownership of Eagle Food Stores to New York-based Odyssey Partners. Odyssey gives monetary transfusion, allowing Eagle to expand old stores and add new ones. In December 1987, Eagle's files building permit for a $1.2 million expansion at its Avenue of the Cities store in Moline, ballooning the store by 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²). In 1988, New stores open in Galesburg and Chicago suburb of Downers Grove. In August 1988, Eagle announces construction of a $2.5 million, 42600 square feet (3,957.7 m²) grocery store in East Moline to replace an aging, 27700 square feet (2,573.4 m²) store at 1313 42nd Ave.In November 1988, Eagle applies for building permit to allow a $1.2 million, 23800 square feet (2,211.1 m²) expansion to Milan warehouse. Company also announces $1 million expansion of Geneseo store on U.S. 6, expanding the building from 19,000 to 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²). In August 1989, Eagle becomes a publicly owned corporation.
1990s
In June 1990, Eagle Food Centers elects its first board of directors at the company's first annual stockholders' meeting at the Milan Community Center. In May 1992, Pasquale "Pat" Petitti, chairman of the board of chief executive officer of Eagle Food Centers, Inc., retires after 35 years with the company. In December 1999, Eagle sells five of its Chicago-area stores, leaving 90 stores in Illinois, Iowa and Indiana. Stock price dips to $2.03, down from a 52-week high of $4.25. Company reports net loss of $1.5 million.Bankruptcy
Eventually, the company found that it was unable to compete with other chains, such as Jewel-Osco, Dominick'sDominick's
Dominick's Finer Foods, Inc. is a grocery store chain and subsidiary of Safeway Inc. with locations mainly in the Chicago area, Illinois, USA. Dominick's distribution center is located in Northlake, while its management offices are located in Oak Brook....
, Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee is an employee-owned chain of supermarkets located in the Midwestern United States. Over 100 of its supermarkets are located in Iowa, with additional stores in Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and now Madison, Wisconsin...
, Walmart and Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
. The first sign of this was the selling of the Harvest Day bakery plant in Rock Island, Illinois to the Metz Baking Company in 1998. The company went into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2000.
In 2003, Eagle Food Stores ceased operations, and sold off its assets. Some of the stores were acquired by other chains, such as Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee is an employee-owned chain of supermarkets located in the Midwestern United States. Over 100 of its supermarkets are located in Iowa, with additional stores in Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and now Madison, Wisconsin...
, Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
, Albertsons, and Butera. The Downtown Eagle Corporation was founded to take over two stores - one in Clinton, Iowa
Clinton, Iowa
Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 26231as of 2010. Clinton, along with DeWitt, Iowa , was named in honor of the seventh governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton. Clinton is the principal city of the Clinton Micropolitan Statistical...
and the other in Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
. They purchased the rights to the Eagle Country Market name and signage and operate the two stores under the Eagle Country Market name. One location in Coralville, IA was purchased by GEICO
GEICO
The Government Employees Insurance Company is an auto insurance company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway that as of 2007 provided coverage for more than 10 million motor vehicles owned by more than 9 million policy holders. GEICO writes private passenger automobile insurance...
and converted into a call center. One location in Cedar Rapids was bought by Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins
Rockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing aviation and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers.- History :...
; another site was bought by Auto Zone.