[1][2][3] In its early years the company used horse drawn wagons to deliver goods to customers.

[1] In 1919 Pender opened a second grocery store in Norfolk, later expanding to more locations in Central and Eastern Virginia.

[1] In 1937 National Food Products opened two combined Pender-Rogers self-service supermarkets, under the name "Big Star", in Griffin, Georgia and Greensboro, North Carolina.

[1][2] In 1940 the chains were officially combined under the name Colonial Stores, Inc.[1][2] In 1947 the company introduced its rooster logo.

[3] In 1955 the Cincinnati-based Albers Super Markets and the Indianapolis-based Stop and Shop Companies were acquired by National Food Products and put under the Colonial Stores label.

[5] This move was initially blocked by the Federal Trade Commission out of fear Grand Union would be violating anti-trust laws.