Announced Actions for October 22, 1996

The Federal Trade Commission today announced the following actions. The FTC staff contact is Daniel Ducore, 202-326-2526.

Commission action regarding applications for approval: Following public comment periods, the Commission has ruled on applications for approval of transactions from the following:

• The FTC has approved the application of Schnuck Markets, Inc., of St. Louis, Missouri, to divest four supermarket properties to Four Store Partners, LLC, a Missouri limited liability corporation. The land at issue -- located in St. Peters, Fenton and Chesterfield, Missouri; and in Wood River, Illinois -- is occupied by supermarkets that Schnucks previously divested, with FTC approval, to Family Company of America. Schnucks will sell its fee interest in the properties to Four Store, then lease them back, and Family will continue to operate the stores as a sublessee. The divestiture of these properties were among 24 divestitures required by a 1995 consent order designed to restore supermarket competition allegedly injured when Schnucks acquired supermarkets owned by National Holdings in five states, including Missouri. (See March 8, 1995 news release regarding the 1995 consent order; Docket No. C-3585; Commission vote to approve the divestitures was 5-0.)

• The FTC has approved the applications of Schwegmann Giant Super Markets, Inc., of New Orleans, Louisiana, to divest two supermarkets, but the Commission has appoin ted a trustee to divest another store that Schwegmann has failed to divest. The deals approved by the FTC are the divestiture of the Canal Villere supermarket at 5245 Veterans Memorial Highway in Metairie, Louisiana, to Rouse’s Enterprises, Inc., of Thibodaux, Louisiana; and of the That Stanley! supermarket at 315 Judge Perez, in Chalmette, Louisiana, to Stephen C. Fecke, of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. The trustee appointed by the FTC to divest another store at 4223 Chef Menteur Highway in New Orleans is Lewis W. Stirling, III, of Stirling Properties. These divestitures were among seven required under a 1995 consent order designed to restore competition allegedly injured when Schwegmann acquired the New Orleans supermarkets formerly owned by National Holdings, Inc. from Schnuck Markets, Inc. (See March 8, 1995 news release regarding the 1995 consent order; Docket No. C-3584; Commission votes to approve the divestitures and appoint the trustee were all 5-0).

Copies of the documents referenced above are available from the FTC’s Public Reference Branch, Room 130, 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.; 202-326-2222; TTY for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710. FTC news releases, related documents and other materials also are available on the Internet at the FTC’s World Wide Web site at: https://www.ftc.gov