Michael J. Cullen
Encyclopedia
Michael J. Cullen was an Irish American entrepreneur
and salesman, perhaps best known as the founder of the King Kullen
grocery store chain, widely considered to be the first supermarket founded in America. He is recognized by the Smithsonian Institution
as the inventor of the modern supermarket
.
in 1902 at the age of 18 and worked for the firm for 17 years. In 1919, Cullen joined Kroger Stores
and worked for the company until 1930. While working at Kroger, he developed the idea of a supermarket. He wrote a letter to the president of Kroger, proposing a new type of food store with a focus on low prices, larger square footage, cash sales, no delivery service, and low rent locations with lots of parking. In his proposal, Cullen suggested that this new type of store could achieve nearly ten times the volume and profits of the average Kroger or A&P store.
Cullen's letter went unanswered. Undaunted, and confident in his ability to see his idea become a reality, he quit his job and moved his family to Long Island
to launch his own store. Cullen leased a vacant garage at the corner of 171st Street and Jamaica Avenue in Queens
, just a few blocks from a busy shopping district. On August 4, 1930, King Kullen Grocery Company opened the doors to the world's first supermarket. The store carried a range of approximately 1,000 items, including automotive accessories and hardware, as well as groceries. Success was rapid. People came from miles around. To many of his customers, Cullen offered convenient and affordable food. Bold newspaper ads described the store as the "World's Greatest Price Wrecker."
The chain expanded rapidly in the price conscious environment of the Great Depression
. King Kullen stores reused large older building, including abandoned factories and warehouses, in low-rent location on the borders of populated areas. Facilities were simple. Service was minimal. Shopping carts were used and national brands were emphasized. There was a no frill bargain environment that resonated with depression era customers. Ample, free parking was available in order to appeal to customers with automobiles and encourage them to purchase large quantities. By 1936 there were 17 King Kullen supermarkets turning-over approximately $6,000,000 annually. At the time Cullen had plans for faster national expansion and franchising. However in 1936, at age 52, Cullen died suddenly following an appendix operation. Following his death, the rate of growth of the firm slowed.
retailers, including leading chains Safeway
, Kroger
and The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
, found the supermarket concept easy to imitate. By 1934 there were 94 supermarkets in the United States. By 1936, the year of Cullen's death, there were 1,200 in 85 cities. By 1950 the number had increased to 15,000. King Kullen continued to grow and expand through the leadership of his wife and the support of family members. However, relative to competitors, this rate of growth has been slow. From 17 stores in 1936 the firm has grown to 52 stores in 2009 (effectively 35 stores in 73 years). King Kullen is today the 72nd largest supermarket chain in the United States, with 52 stores and US$940m in sales in 2009. It is owned and operating by the third generation of his descendants.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and salesman, perhaps best known as the founder of the King Kullen
King Kullen
King Kullen Grocery Co. is an American supermarket chain with 45 stores, on Long Island and Staten Island. The company is headquartered in Bethpage, New York and was founded by Michael J. Cullen in 1930. It is notable for its title of "America's First Supermarket" as recognized by the Smithsonian...
grocery store chain, widely considered to be the first supermarket founded in America. He is recognized by the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
as the inventor of the modern supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
.
History
Cullen was born in 1884 as the child of Irish immigrants. He joined The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea CompanyThe Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. A&P's liquor stores, known as...
in 1902 at the age of 18 and worked for the firm for 17 years. In 1919, Cullen joined Kroger Stores
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...
and worked for the company until 1930. While working at Kroger, he developed the idea of a supermarket. He wrote a letter to the president of Kroger, proposing a new type of food store with a focus on low prices, larger square footage, cash sales, no delivery service, and low rent locations with lots of parking. In his proposal, Cullen suggested that this new type of store could achieve nearly ten times the volume and profits of the average Kroger or A&P store.
Cullen's letter went unanswered. Undaunted, and confident in his ability to see his idea become a reality, he quit his job and moved his family to Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
to launch his own store. Cullen leased a vacant garage at the corner of 171st Street and Jamaica Avenue in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
, just a few blocks from a busy shopping district. On August 4, 1930, King Kullen Grocery Company opened the doors to the world's first supermarket. The store carried a range of approximately 1,000 items, including automotive accessories and hardware, as well as groceries. Success was rapid. People came from miles around. To many of his customers, Cullen offered convenient and affordable food. Bold newspaper ads described the store as the "World's Greatest Price Wrecker."
The chain expanded rapidly in the price conscious environment of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. King Kullen stores reused large older building, including abandoned factories and warehouses, in low-rent location on the borders of populated areas. Facilities were simple. Service was minimal. Shopping carts were used and national brands were emphasized. There was a no frill bargain environment that resonated with depression era customers. Ample, free parking was available in order to appeal to customers with automobiles and encourage them to purchase large quantities. By 1936 there were 17 King Kullen supermarkets turning-over approximately $6,000,000 annually. At the time Cullen had plans for faster national expansion and franchising. However in 1936, at age 52, Cullen died suddenly following an appendix operation. Following his death, the rate of growth of the firm slowed.
Legacy
Existing grocery storeGrocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
retailers, including leading chains Safeway
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
, Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 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...
and The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. A&P's liquor stores, known as...
, found the supermarket concept easy to imitate. By 1934 there were 94 supermarkets in the United States. By 1936, the year of Cullen's death, there were 1,200 in 85 cities. By 1950 the number had increased to 15,000. King Kullen continued to grow and expand through the leadership of his wife and the support of family members. However, relative to competitors, this rate of growth has been slow. From 17 stores in 1936 the firm has grown to 52 stores in 2009 (effectively 35 stores in 73 years). King Kullen is today the 72nd largest supermarket chain in the United States, with 52 stores and US$940m in sales in 2009. It is owned and operating by the third generation of his descendants.