Safeway's Early Years (in Portland, Oregon)

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StoreLiker2006
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Safeway's Early Years (in Portland, Oregon)

Post by StoreLiker2006 »

Hi,

Seeing as Safeway's presence in Portland, OR goes back to 1921, eight years before the chain even called itself Safeway, I am thinking the 1921-29 stores must've been branded as Skaggs or as Seelig, correct?

Does anyone have a list of Skaggs or Seelig stores in Portland, OR (thumbing back to phone directories for Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA from the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s)? Of course, the stores would no longer exist under either of these names, or as Safeway after its takeover of the two brands, because stores this small don't profit well for big chains after World War II.

~Ben
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Brian Lutz
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Re: Safeway's Early Years (in Portland, Oregon)

Post by Brian Lutz »

I don't know about Portland, but mid-to-late 1920s papers from Kirkland WA had ads for Skaggs United Stores. In the mid 30s it looks like those were most likely replaced by Pay'n Takit, but I'm not sure when the Safeway name itself started being used here.
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Groceteria
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Re: Safeway's Early Years (in Portland, Oregon)

Post by Groceteria »

They wouldn't have been Seelig. That name was only used in Southern California, and in fact the Seelig stores had been rebranded as Safeway prior to the merger with Skaggs. The Sam Seelig Co. changed its name to "The Safeway Stores, Incorporated" in 1925, although I think the Safeway name was in use even before that.

Skaggs would have been the likely name at least until the merger, and maybe even for a couple of years after in some areas.
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Re: Safeway's Early Years (in Portland, Oregon)

Post by bm10k »

Don't know about Portland
but in Spokane, Safeway
operated under 3 names
pay 'n takit, MacMarr, and Safeway
and change to safeway in 1935
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