Tops is one of the largest grocery store chains in Upstate New York. Opinions abound on the benefits and detriments of each. Reasons for preferring Tops include lower prices, buy-one-get-one-free meat sales, closest store, or specific reasons against the other stores; arguments against include inconsistent produce quality, long check-out lines, and poor customer service.

On October 11, 2007, Ahold announced that it would sell Tops, "to Morgan Stanley Private Equity in a transaction valued at $310 million."¹ This transaction was completed on December 3, 2007.² Included in this transaction is Martin's. The newly spun-off company plans on re-establishing its corporate headquarters in the Buffalo area, where they were based until their and subsequent consolidation by Ahold.

The TOPS Weekly color advertising section is distributed via Redplum, via the U.S. Mail. It is addressed to households "Resident" in the area. Redplum is also part of the Valassis Coupon distribution which is found in Sunday and other newspapers with coupons (Easter Valassis ad folded around the TOPS ad, dated 3/21/2010, phone 800-437-0479 for advertisers, address: One Targeting Centre, Windsor CT 06095, and if you sign up on the Redplum site, you can get additional coupon offers via e-mail)

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Footnotes

1. http://www.reuters.com/article/consumerproducts-SP/idUSL115947020071012
2. http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=MW&date=20071203&id=7889327