Squires (retail chain)

Squires is an American family-owned chain of hypermarket superstores founded in 1950 in by John Squires. The stores are found on the ; over half of their 225 stores are located within the states of, , , , and , a region commonly nicknamed , and the others are in , , , , ,  and. The chain is currently considering expansion into, and. Its corporate headquarters are in the Bangor suburb of. The chain was a pioneer in one-stop shopping, combining a complete grocery supermarket with a drugstore, bank, clothing, jewelry, home decor, home improvement, construction tools, garden, electronics, restaurant, shoes, sporting goods and toys.

History
Squires was founded in 1950 by John Squires in as Squires' Department Stores. The store combined separate shops under one roof such as meat, produce, cheese, and other merchandise. The first location in downtown Bangor, named the "mother store" by the chain, is still in business today (being one of two Bangor locations of the chain, the other being a "regular" location across town near the Bangor Mall), albeit operating with much shorter hours than many other locations and selling half the items of a usual store, being closed on Sundays, and having the food court (added 2002) in a separate building next door

The Bangor store was successful and additional locations were opened in and. The Presque Isle store, which features wooden escalators and an experimental shopping cart escalator added in 1965 (both of which are still in use today), is still in operation today. By 1961, the chain had over two dozen locations throughout, and.

In 1960, Squires began advertising on radio and television in the areas it had locations in. For nearly a decade, John Squires and his family served as the public faces of the company.

In 1966, Squires' first modern store opened in, which combined grocery shopping and department store shopping in a single large store. As John Squires was skeptical about the success of the store, it was built with a slightly lower floor than usual (with the entranceway leading to a ramp area that went down into the store), so the nongrocery half could be converted into a small ice hockey arena in case the concept failed. New stores were built in the same manner until the mid-to-late-1970s, when the chain began building their stores in a more traditional fashion to save construction costs. The few remaining stores that were built in this manner are nicknamed "pit stores" due to the floor design, and usually feature an external food court added later in the store's life.

In 1980, Squires opened its first store in, located inside a series of former airplane hangars once used for maintenance by airlines that flew to. This store is still in operation today.

In 1981, the chain introduced it's mascot Johnny the Beaver, created by the company's then-marketing director and now CEO David C. Squires and Boston cartoonist Nicholas H. Morkel (the father of Mole Miner creator Phelan Morkel). In the early 1990s, he was featured in ads produced by Bear Spots, the advertising division of Canadian animation studio, and has since appeared in ads produced by David C. Squires' own Boston-based Squires Animation Studios. Johnny was also the mascot of Johnny's Fun Time Pizza, a family entertainment center chain run by Squires that operated locations from 1985-1997, mostly in former Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theater locations.

In 1982, Squires attempted to expand outside of by opening a store in. It closed two years later due to heavy competition from the long-established Magic Mart chain.

In 1985, the Squires family built the chain's then-largest store in, which upon opening caused the largest traffic jam on recorded at the time. John Squires had to go on local radio to beg people to wait until the next day to go, while customers stood in line for hours waiting their turn to enter the store.

Current president, CEO and company head David C. Squires took over in 1988 from John Squires, shortly before John's death. David opted to expand his father's ideals of making Squires "a shoppers' destination" through more aggressive expansion. David also became the primary public face of the company, still starring in ads alongside the rest of the Squires family.

In the early-1990s, Squires began a second, more successful attempt at expanding outside of the New England region. The chain opened a location in in 1991 in  within the, marking the chain's re-entry into the state, followed by additional locations in ,  and. To help promote itself in New York, especially the, the company purchased a distribution center in from  and placed advertisements in ,  and the. Squires credited its better success with its second attempt to expand into New York with their better knowledge of the food business compared to Walmart (with David C. Squires stating in an interview that "We understand the food business, and don't consider it something that can be tacked onto a discount store with relative ease"), their closest competitor in that state aside from Magic Mart (with Squires, now and then, ranking highly in produce quality compared to Walmart), along with more extensive market research compared to the prior attempt.

In 1997, Squires acquired three New England locations of the Best Products chain as part of the company's bankruptcy proceedings.

The first Squires store in Western New York opened in 1999 in, near the Shops at West Seneca. The West Seneca store was one of two former stores the chain purchased.

In the early-2000s, Squires expanded to three additional states. The first location in opened near  in  in 2001, along with locations in  and. The chain opened it's first location in in April 2003 in, and it's first location in  in June 2003 in.

With the increasing dominance of Walmart throughout the country during the 1990s and up to the present, Squires is facing the effects of an intensely competitive retail industry.

In 2006, Squires expanded into by opening a location near the  between  and. A second Delaware location opened in 2008 in, and the chain's third Delaware location opened in January 2021 in the former space at the Concord Mall in.

In August 2007, Squires opened it's first LEED-certified store in near the, which replaced an older location built in 1970.

In 2010, after several years of expanding further west into Pennsylvania, Squires opened its first location in the area in  in May, followed by the opening of a location in  in August.

In 2012, Squires opened its first location in.

In 2015, Squires raised its minimum wage to US$15 an hour for full and part-time workers. In 2017, Squires increased its minimum wage to US$18.50 an hour for full and part-time workers. In August 2020, Squires increased its minimum wage further to US$20.

In October 2020, Squires opened its largest location at American Dream Meadowlands in. The two-story store is LEED-certified and features a second food court on the second story offering delicacies common in the New York City area and.

In January 2023, Squires opened its first locations in  and.

Operations
Squires stores are classified as supercenters or hypermarkets (a superstore that combines groceries and department store goods in the same store). Many stores also feature an adjacent Squires-branded gas station and convenience store, with some stores also featuring an adjacent Squires-branded liquor store in areas where the main store cannot sell alcohol on its premises, usually operated by another company on Squires' behalf.

Squires has 225 stores in, , , , , , , , , , , and.

As of 2022, the smallest non-Express Squires store is in.

Owing to the Squires family's liberal Protestant Christian beliefs, Squires' practices often incorporate Christian values. The chain often prints Bible citations in small print on areas of packaging of their private label products. Historically, stores were closed on Sundays to "allow [their] employees time for family, worship and/or personal activities," according to signs posted on the front doors of their retail stores. Ever since 1997, all stores have been open on most Sundays, except for the original location and on Easter Sunday.

Offshoots
In 1994, Squires experimented with the warehouse club format by opening a set of stores named Price Club. The concept proved unsuccessful in competition against, and , and all four locations were closed in 1996. The first Price Club in was converted to a regular Squires and the second Price Club in  was converted to a distribution center for the chain, while the remaining two were shuttered and sold off.

In 2001, Squires opened its first Squires Home & Hardware stores in Avon, Massachusetts, which sells home improvement supplies. In 2015, Squires signed an agreement with for ACE to become the primary private label hardware supplier for Squires, allowing Squires to expand its hardware and home improvement sections, with Squires now selling private label hardware and home improvement products under both the ACE label and Squires' own Bangor's Best brand. Squires also began branding its Squires Home & Hardware stores as being "Powered by ACE".

In 2008, Squires began operating a set of stores called Squires Express, which are smaller than Squires' usual hypermarket stores and contain half the items as usual. Most of Squires' smaller, older locations were flipped to the new branding, with some exceptions such as the Presque Isle, Maine store and the "mother store" in downtown Bangor, Maine. In 2013, Squires purchased most of the former campus in, last occupied by , and re-opened the main store as "Squires Express @ Spag's". While the store format and configuration were changed once again to more closely resemble the other Squires Express stores, the store continues to use the Spag's name in it's branding.

In 2007, Squires Family Companies purchased a stake in Mailboxes Unlimited, a franchisor of service centers offering shipping, fulfillment, print and marketing. As a result, Squires has featured Mailboxes Unlimited centers in some of its stores.

Advertising
In 2000, Squires hired –based advertising agency to manage its US$21.3 million ad account. Advertising for Squires in recent years has featured, in addition to David C. Squires and members of the Squires family, such persons as former Red Sox pitcher and professional wrestler.

Notable donations and actions
In 2013, Squires began accepting (later Google Pay Send) for payment in all of its stores and gas stations.

In 2014, Squires began accepting and  for purchases in its stores and gas stations.

Store design
Squires stores are typically designed with the supermarket section to one side and the general merchandise section to the other side. The chain's stores are almost always constructed from the ground up, with very few Squires stores having been converted from other retailers. Exceptions include the:
 * and stores, both of which were converted from  hardware stores, though the latter was significantly renovated during conversion to Squires.
 * , a former store.
 * (which has since been demolished and rebuilt from the ground up into the "Squires Today" format), (though it was significantly renovated during conversion to Squires) and, all former Best Products stores (the Hyannis store, designed by SITE, retains it's unique "warping" exterior design from it's days as a Best store).
 * , a former.
 * , a former (albeit it has since been renovated into the "Squires Today" format)
 * , built using disused airplane hangars.
 * South Store, a former.
 * , at the Concord Mall, a former.
 * , which Squires converted from its failed Price Club format (it was later renovated into the "Euro 2.0." format, and currently is in the "Squires Today" format)

All stores, regardless of format, feature a full-service food court, while some also feature a coffee shop, a chain restaurant such as, ,  or  and/or a locally-run restaurant as a second food option.

Early in the 1990s, Squires developed new integrated prototypes for their rollouts. One example was the "Euro" design prototype, introduced with the 1991 expansion into New York, which had been inspired by hypermarkets in Europe. Most notable was the "glass house" entranceway into the store, along with the "roundhouses" on each end of the front of the store, one containing the food court and one containing a bank and pharmacy. The concept was intended to introduce Squires to New Yorkers as a "world of shopping".

On August 3, 1998, the store in was renovated to a new format. This was the "Euro 2.0." format, in which the "glass house" entranceway was removed and the logo was moved to the center of the building. In 2000, the "Euro 2.0." format was replaced with the "Hometown" format, which featured the name of the town or city next to the Squires logo, along with exterior paintings such as a family and their dog, a similar concept to the "lime green/grey" test concept used by Kmart in the early-2000s. The "Hometown" format was replaced in 2005 with the "Marketplace" format, which was itself replaced in 2013 with the "Squires Today" format, which features emphasis on the entrances, which feature towering glass walls with a tilted roof, resulting in an "eyebrow" appearance.

In recent years, some Squires locations have added "store-within-a-store" tenants, such as, and.

How-To service
Squires offers free "how-to" service for customers who purchase electronics, to help answer questions regarding setup and use and avoid potential returns due to not understanding how to use the products.

Food service
In 1962, Squires began serving Freezette ice cream at some of its stores. The brand has become well known in the chain's traditional New England home region for its affordable prices, quirky flavors, and iconic cylinder-shaped scoops.

In 1973, Squires began selling a full range of freshly-prepared food through a food truck outside it's flagship location in Bangor, Maine. Most locations now have a food court. They can be indoors or outdoors, but the menu is essentially the same: cheeseburger and fries with drink, slider burgers, hot dog, pizza (by the slice or whole pizzas to go), build-your-own tacos, build-your-own burritos, Freezette ice cream, Dippin' Dots ice cream, baked items, all-day breakfast items, and sandwiches. Squires offers a quarter-pound 100% beef cheeseburger with fries and 20 US fluid ounces (590 ml) drink (with refills) for US$1.30, the same price since 1973. Some locations offer 100% beef-or-pork hot dogs for either $2.00 or $1.50. Squires sells Pepsi and Keurig Dr. Pepper fountain drinks in their own food court restaurant, while the second food option usually sells either Coca-Cola or Pepsi fountain drinks.

In the 1990s, select Squires food courts added national restaurant chains like Subway, Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin-Robbins, Oscar Mayer Hot Dog Construction Company, Domino's Pizza and Burger King as a second choice, mainly in larger locations. In later years, Starbucks coffee shops and McDonald's restaurants were added by locations as the second food court option. Today, the most common second food court options are Starbucks, Burger King, McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts and/or Domino's Pizza. Several larger locations, such as the Lancaster, MA and American Dream Meadowlands stores, have combination Dippin' Dots/Doc Popcorn stands separate from the main food stand, which thus doesn't serve Dippin' Dots.

In-store entertainment
An indoor adventure park featuring climbing walls and ropes courses, branded as "Ascend", is featured at three locations:, and East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The Lancaster, Massachusetts store features SquiresTown, an indoor amusement park. It features Doppel Looping, a Schwarzkopf looping coaster that previously operated on the German and US fair circuits; Squires purchased it from a Pakistani company who attempted to open an amusement park featuring it.

"Hypermarket"
The majority of Squires' stores are described as "hypermarkets", which combine a multitude of merchandise under one roof. Squires is credited as a pioneer of the format when it opened its first store of that type in 1966.

Bangor's Best
Bangor's Best is Squires' primary private label brand, used for a number of different products, from food & drink to tools and batteries. The brand was introduced in 1993, with its name derived from the chain's "hometown" of.

To counteract the consumer confidence problem common in private labels, some of its products are co-branded with the name brands of their manufacturers, such as, , , , , , , , , and. Some Bangor's Best products marketed to younger consumers, such as the cheese strings and kids' multivitamins, are co-branded with major licenses such as Disney, Marvel Comics, Bluey, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon, Neopets and Latikuu Edacra, while others are branded with the chain's mascot Johnny the Beaver. Some Bangor's Best products still carry white-label brands but are otherwise manufactured by a partner, such as and.

Care Plus
Care Plus is Squires' private label brand for health and beauty products.

Baby Bangor
Baby Bangor is Squires' private label brand for baby care products such as diapers, wipes, formula, shampoo, etc.

Most Baby Bangor products are made by partners, for example the Baby Bangor Infant Formula has been produced by Danone since 2022 and the Baby Bangor diapers are produced by. Since 2010 Baby Bangor products feature characters from  on the packaging and on the diapers and training pants.

Organic Choice
Organic Choice is Squires' private label brand for organic, vegetarian and vegan products.

Tail Spin
Tail Spin is Squires' private label brand for pet food, pet care products and pet toys.

All Tail Spin-branded pet food products are made by.

Johnny's
Johnny's is Squires' private label brand for budget-priced children's toys. Some Johnny's products are licensed to major licenses, such as Disney, Marvel Comics, Nickelodeon and Bluey, while others feature the chain's mascot Johnny the Beaver and his friends.

iParty
In 2018, Squires bought the iParty trademark from, who bought the former party store chain in 2013. It is now used as Squires' private label brand for party supplies and budget-priced customes.

Freezette
Freezette is the name used by ice cream sold at Squires' stores. It is famous in the chain's traditional New England home region for its affordable prices, quirky flavors, and iconic cylinder-shaped scoops. Popular Freezette flavors include Mint Chip Crunch, Cookie Dough Bonanza, Tiger Tail and Rocky Road Rumble, as well as more recent introductions, such as Oreo Surprise (made with real Oreo cookies). Under David C. Squires' leadership, he began a focus on introducing regional ice cream flavors, such as Tiger Tail (from Canada) and Blue Moon (from the Midwest), to the Freezette flavor lineup.

Freezette Ice Cream counters located within Squires and Squires Express food courts sell hand-scooped ice cream in single-, double- or triple-scoop servings on sugar, cake, or waffle cones. The ice cream also comes pre-packaged in 1-pint and 1.5-quart cartons and are also sold by the half gallon in "Freezette Blocks", which are simple, waxed-paper boxes formed by folding interlocking flaps.

In-house fashion brands
Squires has various private label fashion brands. Those include Bangor Loom Works, Fashionista, Johnny's Just 4 Me, Ascend Sportswear and Unique Apparel.

In 2016, Squires purchased a former factory in  as part of that company's bankruptcy sale, hiring a number of laid-off employees from it and American Apparel's  factory and intending to move the Squires private label fashion brands' production to there from overseas. As of 2022, the factory produces clothing for the Bangor Loom Works, Ascend Sportswear and Unique Apparel lines, as well as some Halloween costumes sold under the iParty brand.