J. M. Fields

J.M. Fields was a discount department store chain based in Salem, Massachusetts owned by Food Fair, Inc. Most J.M. Fields stores built in the late 1960s and 1970s were built adjacent to Food Fair's Pantry Pride grocery stores and were in fact connected to the grocery store, making J.M. Fields the first true "supercenter" of its time. Customers could walk from the department store directly into the grocery store without having to go outside. J.M. Fields featured a mix of merchandise found in most of today's modern day discount retailers such as housewares, clothing, electronics, lawn and garden, and other departments. Many locations had a free-standing automotive center in the parking lot.

When parent company Food Fair filed for bankruptcy in 1978, all J.M. Fields and Pantry Pride stores ceased operations and were shuttered. Many former J.M. Fields locations in the northeast became either Kmart, Jefferson Ward (later Bradlees) or Caldor stores. Kmart also took over many southern stores.

References

* [http://tallahassee.com/legacy/special/blogs/tt/2007/04/jm-fields-tallahassees-original.html J.M. Fields: Tallahassee's Original 'supercenter']
* [http://cruisecloseouts.com/Food%20Fair_Pantry%20Pride.htm Food Fair Stores Inc. Company Timeline]