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greebs wrote:I used to go to the Hughes in what was once referred to as Glendale, on 3075 N San Fernando Rd. It was a small store and was close to the distribution center by the 2 Freeway. This was in the early 70's and across the street from the market was a Van de Kamp restaurant. The market is now a Shims Bargain Center, the restuarant became a Denny's. The Van de Kamp Bakery was right behind the restaurant and part of the building is still there. The distribution center was demolished and the area re developed.

That Hughes moved down San Fernando on the south side of the 2 Freeway.

It later became a Ralphs and closed last year.

Its now a mexican market of some sort.

OCRedCub wrote:I remember seeing ads for Hughes/El Rancho Markets, but ours was just plain Hughes. Never did see the El Rancho locations.

Hughes bought El Rancho in 1979. The El Rancho locations were in Arcadia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Hills, and an area of Newport Beach called Eastbluff. All of the stores except South Pas (Big Lots), Laguna Hills (Big Lots) Newport Beach (empty lot?) are Ralphs today. If there's any interest in the actual locations I can post them in the commercial archaeology board.

runchadrun wrote:

OCRedCub wrote:I remember seeing ads for Hughes/El Rancho Markets, but ours was just plain Hughes. Never did see the El Rancho locations.

Hughes bought El Rancho in 1979. The El Rancho locations were in Arcadia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Hills, and an area of Newport Beach called Eastbluff. All of the stores except South Pas (Big Lots), Laguna Hills (Big Lots) Newport Beach (empty lot?) are Ralphs today. If there's any interest in the actual locations I can post them in the commercial archaeology board.

The Arcadia location was torn down and rebuilt in the same spot with a bigger store around the time Robinsons and May Co merged (1992), since they took over some of the old parking for the Arcadia May Co (oddly enough, Vons headquarters today......there is a Ralphs in Von's parking lot!!!)

runchadrun wrote:

OCRedCub wrote:I remember seeing ads for Hughes/El Rancho Markets, but ours was just plain Hughes. Never did see the El Rancho locations.

Hughes bought El Rancho in 1979. The El Rancho locations were in Arcadia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Hills, and an area of Newport Beach called Eastbluff. All of the stores except South Pas (Big Lots), Laguna Hills (Big Lots) Newport Beach (empty lot?) are Ralphs today. If there's any interest in the actual locations I can post them in the commercial archaeology board.

Were the CA El Ranchos owned by Mayfair? Mayfair used the El Rancho name in AZ (along with Low Cost and Food Giant)

jamcool wrote:Were the CA El Ranchos owned by Mayfair? Mayfair used the El Rancho name in AZ (along with Low Cost and Food Giant)

The announcement of the merger in the LA Times was literally two sentences long and doesn't mention anything about Mayfair. It does say that El Rancho was based in San Gabriel.

Another article from 1959 mentions that Mayfair operated 7 El Ranchos in Arizona, but no mention of operating them in California.

Does anyone know the address of the El Rancho Store that was located in Laguna Hills? Was the store located in the Leisure World Retirement Community? In the 1970's for a short while, I worked in management for the Ralphs Grocery Company in Laguna Hills (Leisure World Retirement Community) and I can remember that just 2 or 3 blocks from the Ralphs Store there was an Alpha Beta Market and just south and a little west of the Ralphs Store there was a grocery store being built and I was promoted and transferred to another Ralphs Grocery Store before the other grocery store was built and I'm guessing that this store may have been the El Rancho location that I read about in an earlier posting.

I just posted the list of El Rancho locations on the Commercial Archaelogy forum at http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?p=6183

Jeff wrote:

runchadrun wrote:

OCRedCub wrote:I remember seeing ads for Hughes/El Rancho Markets, but ours was just plain Hughes. Never did see the El Rancho locations.

Hughes bought El Rancho in 1979. The El Rancho locations were in Arcadia, Pasadena, South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Hills, and an area of Newport Beach called Eastbluff. All of the stores except South Pas (Big Lots), Laguna Hills (Big Lots) Newport Beach (empty lot?) are Ralphs today. If there's any interest in the actual locations I can post them in the commercial archaeology board.

The Arcadia location was torn down and rebuilt in the same spot with a bigger store around the time Robinsons and May Co merged (1992), since they took over some of the old parking for the Arcadia May Co (oddly enough, Vons headquarters today......there is a Ralphs in Von's parking lot!!!)

The Arcadia location was actually expanded and remodeled in 2003 from the original store. It was never torn down. Vons moved in before the May Co/Robinsons merger.

greebs wrote:Vons moved in before the May Co/Robinsons merger.

Robinsons' parent Associated Dry Goods merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was announced in 1989 that the former May Co in Arcadia would be converted into the Vons HQ. The Robinsons and May Co stores combined into Robinsons-May on 2/2/1993.

And a side note (if you can find it) the early 90s eps of SuperMarket Sweep were based on Hughes, complete with the carts and layout!

Later on they went to a copy of a UWG layout store for PAX/i.

I managed take a few interior pics from the Lancaster Ralphs store which is located at 1969 W Ave. L.

http://news.webshots.com/album/558636789pZCDQA

shane wrote:I managed take a few interior pics from the Lancaster Ralphs store which is located at 1969 W Ave. L.

http://news.webshots.com/album/558636789pZCDQA

Since it became Ralphs...there has never been a remodel?! Sure still has the Hughes appeal.

Does it still have the circular/round deal at the checkstand...versus the belt? Hughes had the circular/round thing.

Yep The checkstands are even original complete with numbered light boxes.

Just a few locations that I know of that are former Hughes stores (all are currently operating as Ralphs, unless otherwise noted):

Valencia: Granary Square on McBean
Stevenson Ranch: Old Road and Pico Canyon Road
Pomona: Holt near White (moved to Haven Ave. in Rancho Cucamonga)
Rancho Cucamonga: Haven Ave. (Former Pomona store)
Ontario: Archibald Ave. & Haven Ave.
Chino Hills: North Chino Hills. Pkwy. (I believe this Ralphs store is now closed)

mfricke wrote:.
Chino Hills: North Chino Hills. Pkwy. (I believe this Ralphs store is now closed)

Don't you mean Peyton Ave....I think that was the Hughes..