Unusual Safeway sign in Oregon

TheStranger · 30 Sep 2006 02:49

Very rare to see the Circle S and the square S on the same assembly...

Wonder why that cowboy is in the design.

StoreLiker2005 · 14 Oct 2006 20:10

Any other Safeways here or in other states that had both the S Medallion and S Leaf together?

I recall passing by the Safeway on 101 SE 82nd Ave in Portland, OR circa 1987-88, and in the center of the front facade (where the red bubble light SAFEWAY letters were) was the 1982 orange/red Safeway rectangle banner, but the S Medallion entrance markers from the original construction were still intact. However, those were to be removed shortly after that date.

Ben (StoreLiker2005)

TheStranger · 14 Oct 2006 20:28

Although I have personally not been there myself, I would think the Safeway at Stevens Creek near I-280 in San Jose is a good example of this, as the site used to be that of a bowling alley; when the bowling alley closed and the area was redeveloped to include a new, late-90s Safeway, the bowling alley's old sign was converted to a shopping center sign, including the most recent (as far as I know) usage of the Circle S.

http://flickr.com/photos/san_andreas/68907641/

Here's a live local shot of that Safeway, showing its square S:

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=5934345

And a corresponding live local shot of the sign with circle S:

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=5934391

I'm not sure but I think the circle S dates to as late as 1997, if not even later than that.

StoreLiker2005 · 15 Oct 2006 01:15

Even that example of a sign would be rare, one of a kind...

Ben (StoreLiker2005)

TheStranger · 15 Oct 2006 01:20

StoreLiker2005 wrote:Even that example of a sign would be rare, one of a kind...

I've surmised (and it would make sense) that the only reason the circle S was used was to fit in with the retro theme of the existing sign structure. (There was no circle there in the past, as http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/commstudies/w ... wling.jpeg shows: in that spot was a "42 Lanes" bowling pin.)

Also intriguing is Safeway's choice for text font on that Stevens Creek sign: it is the only time I've seen that script on a non-Canadian location.

I do know in the early 90s, on Safeway whipped cream cans, a small Circle S logo was still being used on the back (where the ingredients were listed), though I'm pretty sure that had been superseded by 1997 or so.