Question: What was North Carolina’s first grocery store chain?
Answer: North Carolina’s first grocery store chain was Pender Stores, founded in 1900 by David Pender. The chain, which initially opened in Norfolk, Virginia, expanded to 244 locations by 1926, with many stores in North Carolina, and included features like a delicatessen, soda fountain, and restaurant under the name Pender’s Mammoth Food Department Store.
