Chase-Pitkin

Chase-Pitkin was a regional home improvement store chain, founded in 1940, that was owned by Wegmans from 1973 to 2006.

Chase-Pitkin stores were often located near Wegmans supermarkets (sometimes built alongside their sister store Wegmans). The two chains were not combined under single buildings/entranceways at any location.

In response to growing competition from stores such as Lowe's and The Home Depot, Wegmans announced plans to shut down the brand in late 2005. The buildings have undergone various uses since.

History
Chase-Pitkin began in 1940 as Chase-Pitkin Nurseries, and was started by William Pitkin Jr, as a successor to the Chase Brothers nurseries business, which had been founded in 1857. The company began with at least one nursey in Honeoye Falls, NY and a retail store at 2045 East Avenue in Rochester, NY, both taken over from Chase Brothers. The company was acquired by Bilt-Rite in 1956, who would later expand the E Highland store into what more closely resembles a "home center" in 1959. In 1974, the company was acquired by Wegmans, who consolidated their existing two Wegmans Home Centers under the Chase-Pitkin name. The chain would steadily expand under Wegmans ownership, opening it's ninth store Perinton, NY in 1979. The company would face increasing competition from competing local chains, such as Hechinger and Grossman's, however the only closures in this period would be the location at 200 E Highland (1985), the oldest in the chain, and the stores at Ridgemont Plaza (1989), Country Club Plaza (1995), and Pittsford Plaza (1995), all because they were outcompeted by newer Chase-Pitkin stores nearby. The next two closures would not follow this trend however, as the closing of two Buffalo, NY area stores in 1997 came due to competition from Home Depot, who had entered the market in 1996.

Following further expansion by Home Depot, and later Lowes, Wegmans would announce the closure of all Chase-Pitkin stores on October 4, 2005, with the stores planned to close sometime in 2006.