Food World

Food World is a chain of supermarkets launched in the Birmingham area by Bruno's in 1972. At one point it was one of the largest grocery chains in the region, competing mainly with Winn-Dixie, Piggly Wiggly, and Western Supermarkets. However, between Bruno's Chapter 11 bankruptcies in 1998 and 2009, many Food World stores closed.

In April 2012, the company website only listed 20 locations open in Alabama and 7 in Florida. That year its stores were acquired from Southern Family Markets by Belle Foods.

Former locations

• West Lake Mall, Bessemer (store #2, branded as a "supercenter")
• 1104 Cullman Shopping Center, Cullman (store #15, now a Publix)
• 1309 Decatur Highway, Gardendale (store #21)
• 4440 University Boulevard, Tuscaloosa (store #27, sold to Triple V in September 2013, now a Vowell's Fresh Market)
• 613 Martin Street North, Pell City (store #50)
• 518 Pelham Parkway, Pelham (store #53), opened January 1974
• 216 Green Springs Highway, Homewood (store #54; closed August 2013 in Belle Foods bankruptcy)
• 2891 Allison-Bonnett Memorial Drive, Hueytown (store #58; closed August 2013)
• 509 Highway 119 South, Southbrook Village Alabaster (store #70, built 1985, sold to Mitchell Grocery in September 2013)
• Roebuck Center, 9096 Parkway East, Birmingham (store #72)
• 1940 Forestdale Boulevard Forestdale (store #115)
• Village In Trussville, 309 Main Street, Trussville (store #145)
• 714 U.S. Highway 78 East, Jasper (store #225)
• 4200 McFarland Boulevard, Tuscaloosa (store #234, sold to Triple V in September 2013, now a Cash Saver)
• 641 Bear Creek Road, Tuscaloosa (store #247, now a Vowell's Fresh Market)
• 3313 Lorna Road, Suite 33, Hoover (store #251)
• West County Market Place, 1944 Veteran's Memorial Drive, Adamsville
• 3980 Veteran's Memorial Drive, Adamsville
• Bellview Shopping Center Aaron Aronov Drive, Fairfield (Open before 1972, operated for a short time as a Southern Family Markets before closing)
• 9th Avenue North, Bessemer, (closed after Bruno's decided to rebrand the West Lake Mall store as Food World)
• Heritage Towne Centre, 873 Dennison Avenue Southwest, Birmingham (closed 2007)
• Inverness Plaza, 165 Inverness Plaza, Birmingham
• Queensbury Shopping Center, 2325 Carson Road, Center Point
• 4524 Southlake Parkway, Hoover
• 1175 Huffman Road, Huffman open before 1972
• Vestavia Plaza Shopping Center, 1052 Montgomery Highway, Vestavia Hills

References

• Current Food World store locations at food-world.com
• Staff (March 2, 2005) "Bruno's closing 20 stores; four Birmingham Food Worlds." Birmingham Business Journal
• Kent, Dawn (October 5, 2010) "Southern Family to close Pelham, Trussville Food World stores." The Birmingham News
• Poe, Ryan (July 5, 2013) "Belle Foods to close 13 stores in reorganization." Birmingham Business Journal
• "Food World stores closing in Homewood, Hueytown." (August 5, 2013) WBRC.com