On this day in 1982: Posing for a publicity shot, Food Town president Tom Smith climbs atop Store No. 1 in Salisbury to watch installation of new letters changing the name of his rapidly growing supermarket chain to Food Lion.
The name has been changed to avoid conflicts with Food Town stores in Tennessee and Virginia. Chairman Ralph Ketner — legendary for his tight-fistedness — chose the new name because it would require changing only two letters on store marquees.