Search found 34 matches

by timbabcock
04 Jan 2008 20:38
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: White Front Stores
Replies: 53
Views: 65491

Re: White Front Stores

I have been fascinated by White Front ever since I learned of thier existence (which was about 5 years ago) I know they were predominantly a western chain, but did they have any locations on the east coast? They operated a chain of stores that were very similar to White Front called Topps. They eve...
by timbabcock
04 Jan 2008 20:23
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: Fred Meyer Classic Architecture
Replies: 2
Views: 3433

Re: Fred Meyer Classic Architecture

Most of the stores used this white sheet metal with a dark brown alomst black sheet metal for the trim and entrances. Most of the stores were boxy looking. I think the Fred Meyer in Kirkland Washington still has that kind of look on the exterior. Interior of the stores used a lot of bright colors. Y...
by timbabcock
04 Jan 2008 20:16
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: The Different Formats of Fred Meyer
Replies: 27
Views: 17900

Re: The Different Formats of Fred Meyer

When Fred Meyer took over the Valu Mart/Leslie's stores in 1976, they didn't start out with food stores right away because those departments Leslie's leased to Associated Grocer member stores. The Midway location in Kent though was the first and it adopted the Conumer Warehouse name for thier grocer...
by timbabcock
04 Jan 2008 19:54
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: Does Anyone Know Where This Freddy's is Located?
Replies: 6
Views: 4553

Re: Does Anyone Know Where This Freddy's is Located?

Looks like the North Benson store in Renton Washington. Looks like it was taken about the time the store opened.
by timbabcock
04 Jan 2008 19:50
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: Fred Meyer Stores After 1966
Replies: 1
Views: 2618

Re: Fred Meyer Stores After 1966

In the late 70s, Fred Meyer was big about using white sheet metal sidings with a brownish (almost black) sheet metal siding on the outside of the buildings. In the interior they used a lot of colors that could get attention to departments such as blue and I think they were even using pink in some of...
by timbabcock
29 May 2007 20:50
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: The Different Formats of Fred Meyer
Replies: 27
Views: 17900

Re: The Different Formats of Fred Meyer

As most of you know, Fred Meyer is a supercenter with grocery store roots. Most of Freddy's stores contain at least a food and pharmacy section. Most are complete supercenters that include apparel. There was one more. Hi-Ho Shopping Center in Puyallup. It originally was a local based superstore wit...
by timbabcock
29 May 2007 20:41
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: Larry's Markets Seattle
Replies: 10
Views: 9194

I had heard that Haggen/Top likes to build their stores from the ground up, however. Are any of their locations second-hand? The Auburn store is one. It was originally built by another Bellingham/Lynden based food chain before it became a Food Pavilion for a short time. I remember the grand opening...
by timbabcock
29 May 2007 20:34
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: Fred Meyer Marketplaces
Replies: 23
Views: 14401

The former White Center Fred Meyer Marketplace had a electronics/Music Market department. This store was originally called Marketime. Fred Meyer acquired the chain in the 1960s. It was the first chain they bought in the Seattle market. There were three of them White Center, Broadway, and Lake City....
by timbabcock
23 Apr 2007 20:01
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: UPC codes & grocery scanning
Replies: 100
Views: 95246

Bar code scanners

I got to thinking about the Fred Meyer store in Longview, Washington about 1988. This store opened in the early-mid 70s, and was not remodeled until about 1989 or 1990. They actually had three or four different types of cash registers depending on where in the store they were located. I recall the ...
by timbabcock
13 Apr 2007 20:12
Forum: History: Restaurant Chains
Topic: How Many Grocers founded Cafeterias and Restaraunt Chains?
Replies: 16
Views: 13636

Re: The Infamous Eve's

Fred Meyer, decades pre-Kroger, operated Eve's Buffets. Most were part of Fred Meyer stores, but there were definitely a few freestanding locations. I believe Eve was Fred's mother. I remember that. The Burien store had one in it. I think they even used the Eve's name (with the same logo) on some o...
by timbabcock
13 Apr 2007 20:02
Forum: History: Drugstore Chains
Topic: Thrifty Drug in the Northwest
Replies: 48
Views: 51150

So, the House of Values stores were originally opened by Gov-Mart? (By the way, I just heard on the radio the other day that founder and parking magnate Joe Diamond died at the age of 99.) I don't know of any House of Values stores that were in Pierce County, but there was one in Federal Way House ...
by timbabcock
13 Apr 2007 19:36
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Valu Mart in the Seattle, Tacoma, Everett area
Replies: 9
Views: 12223

Yeah that would surprise me that they still own that location. Joe Diamond was big into real estate.
by timbabcock
13 Apr 2007 19:07
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Department Store Gas Stations
Replies: 38
Views: 25639

Here's a interesting sidenote on the Burien Gov Mart location. Wesbild Shopping Centers from Vancouver, BC bought the property in 2004. It is going to be developed into Burien Town Plaza with Bartell Drugs and Ace Hardware as new anchors along with Staples and Saars Marketplace. Wesbild also owns W...
by timbabcock
12 Apr 2007 21:09
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: Piggly Wiggly in Pierce County WA
Replies: 0
Views: 3128

Piggly Wiggly in Pierce County, Washington market

Does anybody know much about who ran the Piggly Wiggly stores in Pierce County (and the 1 lonely location in Auburn)? I noticed the stores ended up in hands of West Coast Grocers, then Supervalu (to become shop rite), and some of them turned into QFCs when Supervalu was the supplier (prior to the Kr...
by timbabcock
12 Apr 2007 20:20
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Department Store Gas Stations
Replies: 38
Views: 25639

Gov-Mart Bazar

Gov Mart Bazar operated Gas Stations within there stores as well as stand alone locations in the Seattle area. The Tacoma Public Library Pictorial History website has a picture of one you can see just by searching for Gov Mart (I would post the full link but they never work. Here it is to the site h...