Pick-N-Pay Supermarkets

Pick 'n Pay Grocery Stores was chain of super markets operating in the greater region of Cleveland. The stores were operated by the Cook United Company, later Cook United Corporation, of Maple Heights, Ohio. The chain operated from 1925 until it was with Finast in the late 1970s. Principle comptetors in the Cleveland grocery industry were Fisher-Fazio, Stop n Shop and Heinens grocery chains.

Shoppers at Pick 'n Pay stores were attracted by their emphasis on higher end meats and produce. The stores also particpated in the Eagle Stamp (Green Stamp) program sponsored by their parent company. Shoppers would earn stamps at the time their orders were rung up based the total retail dollar spent at the grocery. These stamps were then pasted into booklets, which when "completed" (filled) were taken to local May Company stores, where they were redeemed for $3 vouchers towards May Company merchandise.

Employees of Pick 'n Pay worked under a union contract, like most other Clevelad area grocers. The stores were often paired in shopping centers with Cook's and Uncle Bills discount department stores, which were also owned and operated by Cook United Company.

In 1972 Cook United, sold the chain to Julie (Julius) Kravitz Supermarkets, Inc., which continued the brand in the greater Cleveland area until 1978 when the chain was rebranded under the name Finast when JKS purchased Finast, and moved the headquarters to Cleveland. While expansion was the goal, that plan was sidelined after Karvitz was murdered in 1979 in a botched kindnapping for ransome attempt.

Locations

• Beachwood, Ohio, Pavillion Mall
• Cleveland, Ohio, 93rd and Euclid Avenue (formerly Skateland)
• Garfield Heights, Ohio
• Lyndhurst, Ohio, Wilson Mills Road
• Mayfield Heights, Ohio Golden Gate
• Maple Heights, Ohio, Southgate Shopping Center
• North Olmstead, Ohio
• Shaker Heights, Ohio, Van Aken Center
• Warrensville Heights, Ohio, Miles Road

Sources

• Lehman Brothers Collection, Twentieth Century Archives[1]