700 Southbridge St, Worcester, MA

Original Grocery Tenant: A&P
Address: 700 Southbridge St, Worcester, MA

Opened: ca. 1960

Closed: by 1973

Later Tenants: A&P Warehouse Economy Outlet (open by 1973) > Goretti's Supermarket (open by 1991, closed by 2000) > subdivided

Photographed: October 9, 2018 and January 16, 2019

I don't even need to say what supermarket originally occupied 700 Southbridge Street here in South Worcester! This distinctive centennial store has remained nearly untouched since it opened more than 60 years ago, although it's been subdivided. The space was an A&P from about 1960 to around 1970, and it appears to have closed by 1971. In late 1972 or 1973, it seems A&P converted the supermarket to their discount format, A&P Warehouse Economy Outlet. By 1991, it had become Goretti's, although it looks like Goretti's time in Worcester was brief and I believe they closed by 1995, but definitely by 2000. It appears the space was subdivided by 1996.

The store is just over 21,000 square feet, and like many centennials, it's closer in shape to a square than a rectangle.

The Wendy's you can see in the outparcel was built in 1996. 

Interestingly, there was a much earlier A&P directly across this intersection at 671 Southbridge St. That store opened around 1920 and closed around 1940, later becoming C&M Market in the 1940s and 50s. More on that to come.

This store is located at the bottom of College Hill, where the College of the Holy Cross is. You can see the college's buildings on the hill above the store here...

There's still a supermarket here in this part of the city on Southbridge Street, though, and we'll be touring that tomorrow!