Search found 203 matches

by jamcool
16 Feb 2006 17:20
Forum: History: Specialty Retail Chains
Topic: Loews Theatres 1905-2006 (AMC, GCC, etc.)
Replies: 10
Views: 15273

Loew's was the original owner of MGM...until being forced by the feds to divest their studios in the 50s, as were Fox, Paramount, and Warner Bros
by jamcool
16 Feb 2006 13:44
Forum: History: Drugstore Chains
Topic: Rite Aid, Walgreens and Longs
Replies: 39
Views: 27584

When Walgreens enters a new market, they first open their smaller pharmacies...then come in with the bigger corner stores
by jamcool
13 Feb 2006 16:46
Forum: History: USA California
Topic: Big Bear in San Diego
Replies: 10
Views: 8339

Mega Foods started in Phoenix as "Mega Warehouse Foods" in the 80s..they expanded into Las Vegas by buying the Food 4 Less stores there (before Ralphs/Kroger ownership) and into SoCal by the 90s. Unfortunately they overextended their reach and went into liquidation. The Vegas stores went t...
by jamcool
13 Feb 2006 13:18
Forum: History: Restaurant Chains
Topic: Furr's & Bishop's Cafeterias
Replies: 8
Views: 7994

Furr's has basically retreated to its original sales region (TX/NM/AZ)
by jamcool
01 Feb 2006 18:01
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: KMart Cafeteria and Other Restaurants
Replies: 72
Views: 95217

Our KCafes seem to be mostly Little Caesars and usually-non-working Icee machines. Seems like back in the day they even had slicers at the deli, so the time to get the subs was at the end of the blue light special when they ran out of premade ones and they had to make some more with fresh meat &...
by jamcool
30 Jan 2006 03:30
Forum: History: Outside the USA and Canada
Topic: Safeway in Europe...?
Replies: 6
Views: 12849

Safeway also licensed its name to several operators in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and also owns 49% of the Ley market chain in Mexico.

The only US retailer that has big ops in the UK is WalMart through its ownership of ASDA.
by jamcool
25 Jan 2006 13:09
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Safeway logos
Replies: 8
Views: 7387

Notice that the new "S" is conveniently the same shape as the previous one...an easy way to resign using the existing sign frames. Couldn't do that with the old circle-S!
by jamcool
23 Jan 2006 01:26
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Safeway logos
Replies: 8
Views: 7387

* The S Medallion (1946 - 1982) - This was Safeway's most popular logo, used from 1946 to April 1982. The red "S" part was slightly thinned in late 1957, and would remain in this fashion through 1982. I think the "Circle-S" only dated back to the mid-50s....Safeway stores before ...
by jamcool
20 Jan 2006 02:18
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Where does Circle K come into the equation?
Replies: 4
Views: 4908

Circle K had its start in El Paso as Kay's Food Stores-small neighborhood-style stores. The founder, Fred Hervey named them after his wife. They expanded to Phoenix in the early 50s...there was an existing Kay's Foods in PHX, so Hervey called the stores "Circle K". The chain moved its HQ t...
by jamcool
20 Jan 2006 00:57
Forum: History: USA Southwest and Hawaii (Excluding California)
Topic: Fry's Founder Dies at 92 in Arizona
Replies: 1
Views: 4192

An Addendum....

This past Sunday Fry's Food had a full page ad remembering Donald Fry. Included in the ad were photos of a circa 1960 Fry's food store and a current Fry's Food/Drug store. Nice to see a business remembering their founder even if they are part of a bigger company.
by jamcool
20 Jan 2006 00:49
Forum: History: USA Southwest and Hawaii (Excluding California)
Topic: Fry's Founder Dies at 92 in Arizona
Replies: 1
Views: 4192

Fry's Founder Dies at 92 in Arizona

PHOENIX — Donald Fry, who founded the Fry's supermarket chain that spread across California and Arizona, has died at age 92. Fry died Tuesday of pneumonia at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. He had been suffering from Parkinson's disease. Fry founded Fry's Food Stores Inc. with his brother Charles in Cal...
by jamcool
19 Jan 2006 12:43
Forum: History: USA California
Topic: Safeway/Alpha Beta relation
Replies: 9
Views: 7838

The Skaggs family has been a big force in retailing...one family member founded Safeway, one founded Osco Drug in the Midwest (O Skaggs CO.), one founded Skaggs Drug in the West, another founded Payless Drug in the NW. The Osco and Skaggs operations were united with the Jewel-ASC merger.
by jamcool
18 Jan 2006 19:47
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: 7-11
Replies: 36
Views: 24843

In New Mexico and Colorado there is a local operation called "Seven-2-Eleven", which was there before 7/11 entered that market. Seven-2-Eleven's signs are "7-2-11" with a very small "2" that seems to disappear when the sign is viewed from distance :wink:
by jamcool
18 Jan 2006 12:35
Forum: History: Canada
Topic: Canada Safeways
Replies: 53
Views: 68894

Safeway Canada has 219 stores and operates as far East as Winnipeg. They did have stores as far East as Ontario, but those stores were sold off in the 80s.

The only other US chain operating in Canada is Wal-Mart (the old Woolco operation) and they do have grocery depts.
by jamcool
03 Jan 2006 02:07
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: New Uses for Grocery Stores
Replies: 90
Views: 94076

In Glendale, AZ there is a former Gemco on W. Thunderbird Road that was converted to the SW accounting center for American Stores' Osco/Savon unit, and is now an acctg. facility for all of Albertson's SW operations. Glendale also has two other unique conversions - a former pylon-style 50s era Safewa...