In 1859, the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, known everywhere as A&P, began as a mail-order business located at 31 Vesey Street in downtown Manhattan. In 1936, A&P became the first national supermarket chain in the United States The company experienced financial and filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2010. March 13, 2012 it was announced that A&P had emerged from bankruptcy and was now a private company. Limited edition sign!