A&P and Pathmark in 1989. Come share the proud new feeling!

One day back on July 28, 1989 we accidentally recorded three supermarket commercials. Two being A&P and the other one was Pathmark.

These supermarkets were huge in NY, NJ, and PA (we locals call it the Tri-State Area). Some consider A&P the original Wal-Mart. Pathmark was big too. They both had their heydays but as you know, times change. Pathmark was eventually bought by A&P.
And, you guessed it, A&P eventually filed for bankruptcy.

Here are their commercials back when their golden years were long gone and they were on their last legs. You would never know it from these commercials!!!

Come share the proud new feeling...at A&P! So much is going on in this commercial. They're really promoting their "Get More, Spend Less" campaign - it's everywhere. Notice the 80's looking products such as Ritz Crackers, Planters Corn Chips and Cheese Curls, and Charmin Free toilet paper. Also, it goes by really fast, but at the very end check out the kids flying by the camera - one is pushing his shopping cart while the other kid is inside! That looks so much fun!! A&P had so much hope back then.

So much is going on in this commercial too. It's kind of like the first one but it has a much better song. This song just makes me so happy and I just want to join the proud new feeling...at A&P! (I've actually seen the same exact commercial on YouTube from 1989 but instead it was for SuperFresh which is a division of A&P. They just made some minor changes. Interesting.)

This is a Pathmark commercial that was aired alongside the A&P commercials. Who knew that just under 20 years later, A&P would buy-out Pathmark? It's a crazy world.

Actor James Karen was Pathmark's spokesperson back then. You may know him from TV classics such as "Eight is Enough" or "As The World Turns" and "All My Children". Maybe you even saw him in "Poltergeist" or "The Return of the Living Dead" or "Wall Street".

In this commercial he was promoting Pathmark's "21st Anniversary Sweepstakes" in which they were giving away 1989 Cadillac Sedan Devilles. You could also pick up coupons to save up to $16 at Six Flags Great Adventure. How could you not have shopped at Pathmark back then?!?

SIDE NOTE: As of this blog entry, all of the Pathmarks and A&P's that were near our house when were were kids are still around. I wonder for how long...


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Video Titles: (1989) A&P Supermarket - 80's TV commercial #1 and #2
(1989) Pathmark "Cadillac Sedan Deville Sweepstakes" - 80's TV commercial
Product: A&P and Pathmark Supermarkets
Original Air Date: July 28, 1989
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