What's in a Name?
09/24/2007


Plaid Pantry, circa 1970.

Whether you grew up next to a Plaid Pantry store for the last 20 years or you just
moved here and saw your first Plaid Pantry, you’ve no doubt wondered, “What IS a
Plaid Pantry?”

John Piacentini opened his first store in 1960.  He was looking for an image that
would both catch people’s attention and be something they would remember, so he
decided on a red-and-white checkered design for the stores.  And Plaid Pantry was
born!  At one time John even had a Model T Ford (painted in red and white checkers)
that was driven in the Rose Festival Parade each year.  A few years later the stores
were designed with orange counters and brown wall signage (though we don’t miss those
too much!).

The pole signs used to have a different look to them as well.  The curved red section
with a rooster at the top stood  for sunrise and showed that the store opened at
7 a.m.  The curved blue section with a cat at the bottom was for sunset, and showed a
closing time of 12 midnight.

Over the years we have maintained the same basic concept with the pole sign.  We kept
the colors and the curved shapes, but now virtually every store is open 24 hours a day
to meet the needs of today’s customer… and there is no plaid on the Plaid sign!


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