Carl Jablonski, former president of Acme Markets and Shaw’s Supermarkets, passed away earlier this month. He was 72.
Jablonski, who was president of Acme Markets from 1999-2006 and president of sister retailer Shaw’s Supermarkets from 2006-2007 (both regional chains were owned by Supervalu at that time), most recently owned the Avalon Seafood & Produce Market in Avalon, NJ and Bud’s Fresh Market in Stone Harbor, NJ.
A native of Trenton, NJ, Jablonski joined Acme as a grocery bagger at the retailer’s Cape May Court House store as a teenager. After a stint in the U.S. Army, Jablonski rejoined Acme and rose through the ranks to become a department manager and store manager before being named a district manager in 1985. In 1988, he relocated to Texas as director of operations and then VP-operations and merchandising for then-parent firm Skaggs Alpha Beta. In 1993, he returned to the Delaware Valley as Acme’s VP-administration and then was named VP-Acme East, where he supervised the retailer’s New Jersey stores. In 1994, he was named VP-store operations before being promoted to president of Acme in 1999.
Shortly after his retirement from Shaw’s, Jablonski acquired and opened the Avalon Seafood & Produce Market and in 2011 purchased Bud’s Fresh Market in neighboring Stone Harbor, NJ.
Jablonski, who lived in Avalon and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL is survived by his two sons, Carl and Bryce.