San Bruno, CA: Former Lucky and Safeway

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » 21 Nov 2006 07:00

El Camino at Crystal Springs, both late 1940s-early 1950s prototypes. Found this searching up the UC libraries online, the photo's from the San Bruno Public Library:

http://content.cdlib.org/dynaxml/data/1 ... 3e2839.jpg

Here's a shot of the Safeway only, also from the San Bruno Public Library:

http://content.cdlib.org/dynaxml/data/1 ... 3e9290.jpg

I am 100% sure that the Walgreens at this intersection is what used to be Lucky (and I always suspected that that Walgreens, with its bubble roof, had been something else). What I am now curious about is what this pylon Safeway is, now. (Since I'll be in the area for Thanksgiving, I may take a photo and put it up on my site and post it here as well).

I'm not sure if this is the same store, but this is a 1949 photo of a Lucky in San Bruno on fire...
http://content.cdlib.org/dynaxml/data/1 ... d3e794.jpg

And a nearby house being demolished in the wake of the fire. Also note the old-school 76 station sign!
http://content.cdlib.org/dynaxml/data/1 ... e10473.jpg

justin karimzad · Post by **justin karimzad** » 21 Nov 2006 18:38

I think the former Safeway is a car dealership now, and yes the Lucky became the Walgreens.

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » 21 Nov 2006 19:54

justin karimzad wrote:I think the former Safeway is a car dealership now, and yes the Lucky became the Walgreens.

Thanks! I'm definitely gonna have to get a photo of this duo this weekend, somehow.

Is the 1949 Lucky that caught fire the same store as the El Camino one?

justin karimzad · Post by **justin karimzad** » 21 Nov 2006 20:04

TheStranger wrote:Is the 1949 Lucky that caught fire the same store as the El Camino one?

I'm not certain, but I believe it is. I know that, at least by the 1950s, that was the only Lucky in San Bruno.

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » 21 Nov 2006 20:08

justin karimzad wrote:
TheStranger wrote:Is the 1949 Lucky that caught fire the same store as the El Camino one?
I'm not certain, but I believe it is. I know that, at least by the 1950s, that was the only Lucky in San Bruno.

What were the other SB locations?

For that matter, did this Crystal Springs unit operate as a supermarket until San Bruno Towne Center's Alpha Beta became a Lucky?

justin karimzad · Post by **justin karimzad** » 22 Nov 2006 16:00

That was the only San Bruno location that was listed in the 1950s, I don't know about the 1940s. I assume that this Lucky operated until it moved to the San Bruno Towne Center, but I'm just using the same logic that you are.

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » 22 Nov 2006 16:07

justin karimzad wrote:That was the only San Bruno location that was listed in the 1950s, I don't know about the 1940s. I assume that this Lucky operated until it moved to the San Bruno Towne Center, but I'm just using the same logic that you are.

Of course, if the Walgreens moved in any time before Alpha-Beta became defunct, then that could present a slightly different story as well...

I do wonder if this pylon Safeway was still around by the 1960s (when the two marinas, Skycrest (Lunardi's) and Fox Skyline (now demolished) were built). Both of those stores were/are within view of Skyline Boulevard, a good 2 or so miles west of El Camino Real. (It seems like Skyline was once considered a future area for population boom, judging by the three Safeways in about 5 or 6 miles nearby, including the Fairmont Center future Lucky/ABS).

justin karimzad · Post by **justin karimzad** » 23 Nov 2006 00:15

My mom, who moved down the street from the San Bruno Lucky in 1969 and lived there for a couple of years, confirmed the Lucky's existence during that time. She doesn't recall there being a Safeway behind the Lucky at the time, but she wasn't 100% certain because she said "If it was there, I didn't notice". Then again, how can you not notice a Safeway wall-to-wall with the Lucky, so I'm personally going to guess that the Safeway wasn't there by 1969.

justin karimzad · Post by **justin karimzad** » 23 Nov 2006 00:39

TheStranger wrote:did this Crystal Springs unit operate as a supermarket until San Bruno Towne Center's Alpha Beta became a Lucky?

Come to think of it, I do recall someone telling me that the Crystal Springs Lucky closed in the late 1980s, which would put it in the timeframe of Alpha Beta's demise.

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » 23 Nov 2006 00:50

justin karimzad wrote:
TheStranger wrote:did this Crystal Springs unit operate as a supermarket until San Bruno Towne Center's Alpha Beta became a Lucky?
Come to think of it, I do recall someone telling me that the Crystal Springs Lucky closed in the late 1980s, which would put it in the timeframe of Alpha Beta's demise.

I wouldn't be surprised if Lucky decided to move there once they picked up what was left of NorCal AB...it kinda reminds me of the Daly City situation, where the ancient store on San Pedro Road was to be replaced with the Mission Plaza store (though both ran as ABS locations until 05 when the San Pedro store was demolished for City Toyota).

Hell, I wonder in this "store replacement" vein - was Safeway moving to Westlake Plaza's supermarket spot what ultimately led to the closure of the St. Francis Square marina (and sale to Pacific Super)?

hushpuppy212 · Post by **hushpuppy212** » 23 Feb 2007 04:09

The old Safeway closed many, many years before Lucky did. I was very young when we lived in Crestmoor Park from 1957-1964 and I think Safeway closed in the early 1960's. It became a Chrysler car dealership, then Honda, I think.

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » 23 Feb 2007 04:11

hushpuppy212 wrote:The old Safeway closed many, many years before Lucky did. I was very young when we lived in Crestmoor Park from 1957-1964 and I think Safeway closed in the early 1960's. It became a Chrysler car dealership, then Honda, I think.

Did the location close as a result of the construction of the two San Bruno marinas (Sharp Park/Skyline now demolished and the current Lunardi's at San Bruno Avenue near Skyline)?