Big Bear Stores Youth Hoodie / Sweatshirt
Share a memorable chapter of Ohio supermarket history with a Big Bear Stores youth hoodie. The Columbus chain started in 1933, opened near Ohio State University the following year, and grew into a familiar grocery name in Ohio and West Virginia. This design connects younger fans with family stories of Big Bear, Harts, Big Bear Plus, private-brand staples, and Wild Card shopping. A comfortable-looking tribute to local history, hometown pride, and a store name worth remembering.
Big Bear Stores was a regional American supermarket chain founded by Wayne E. Brown in Columbus, Ohio, in November 1933. Its first store opened on West Lane Avenue on February 15, 1934, beside Ohio State University, helping mark the start of self-service supermarketing in the Midwest. The company expanded through Columbus and other Ohio cities, later operating across Ohio and West Virginia. Big Bear introduced shopping carts in 1937, used cashier-operated motorized conveyor belts, and adopted the IBM 305 RAMAC mainframe in the 1950s. In 1954 it acquired Harts Stores, a department-store business that often operated beside Big Bear groceries. Big Bear also used Food Club, Valu Time, and Betty Brown private-brand products. After a 1976 leveraged buyout, the company returned to public ownership in 1983. Penn Traffic acquired Big Bear in April 1989. Big Bear Plus, a food-and-general-merchandise format begun in 1988, gradually replaced Harts locations in the early 1990s. Penn Traffic's 2004 bankruptcy led to the closure of all remaining Big Bear Stores.
| S | M | L | XL | |
| Width, in | 16.93 | 18.11 | 18.90 | 20.08 |
| Length, in | 21.26 | 22.44 | 24.02 | 25.59 |
| Sleeve length (from center back), in | 26.50 | 27.76 | 30.24 | 32.99 |
| Size tolerance, in | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
Product features
- 50/50 cotton-poly midweight fleece (8 oz/yd²) — durable, smooth fabric for lasting prints
- Twill necktape and sewn-in label for added comfort and stability
- Kangaroo pouch pocket for warmth and convenient storage
- Embroidery available on left or center chest; DTF wrist prints with DTG body printing
- Meets children’s safety and compliance standards; runs true to size
Care instructions
- Machine wash: warm (max 40C or 105F)
- Bleach as needed
- Tumble dry: medium heat
- Do not dry clean
- Do not iron
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Gildan 18500B, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Warnings, Hazard: For children, Made in Honduras
Care instructions: Machine wash: warm (max 40C or 105F), Bleach as needed, Tumble dry: medium heat, Do not iron, Do not dry clean