C’mon In And Push Me Around

Do you remember the commercials with the animated yellow cart that said "C'mon in and push me around"? We're talking about the Utica based super-market chain - Chicago Market. You can still see the faded logo on the Salvation Army building in Utica on the corner of Columbia and Cornelia Streets.

When Chicago Market moved to this new location in February 1949, they bragged about now having over 7000 square feet of space, with 8 fully stocked departments.

The store planned to hire about 30 people to staff the new location, which also delivered groceries around the area. They were also quite proud of what was probably the area's first automatic door, which was then referred to as "an electric eye door" that allowed customers to "make their exit without touching the door".

The chain was very popular, with stores throughout the area from the 1950's through the 70's. Reader "powersbt" at Ames Fan Club vaguely remembers one of the stores in New Hartford during it's final run.

Chicago Markets was bought out by Great American during the early to mid '80s. I just barely remember being in one, and the yellow carts stick out the most. The one store in New Hartford that I remember was a Chicago Market, then a Great American, then a Tops, and now is a Hannaford. There was another one that I know of that was in Utica. That had become a Great American as well, and if it's located where I think it is, it is now a Family Dollar or Dollar General, something like that. (powersbt via Ames Fan Club)

What other Utica chains have completely disappeared?

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