Safeway locations-Oakland, Calif.-1963

Uh...California.

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Jason B.
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Re: Safeway locations-Oakland, Calif.-1963

Post by Jason B. »

Here is an interior shot of the Safeway store in Oakland's Montclair district circa 1961:
https://oakland.access.preservica.com/u ... e98e4967a/

It is from the Oakland Public Library collection.

It depicts the interior of the front of the store, with the "exit" sides of check stand numbers 1 through 3 visible. A sign for "Roof Deck Elevator" is visible, as are signs for "EXPRESS LANE 6 ITEMS OR LESS," "Cashier," "RETURN BOTTLES," and "Liquor Wines." A grocery bagger appears to wear a vest. A couple of cash registers are visible. Fluorescent lighting fixtures on the ceiling appear to be flush with the ceiling surface (not hanging from it). Fire sprinklers also are visible on the ceiling.

Dinner plates appear to be on sale in the store, just to the right of the check stand no. 3 sign.

Can anyone figure out the function of that stack of three boxy devices at the front of the store, at the far left of the photo? (It's reminiscent of a Brancusi sculpture.)
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Andrew T.
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Re: Safeway locations-Oakland, Calif.-1963

Post by Andrew T. »

Jason B. wrote: 24 Sep 2021 13:07 Can anyone figure out the function of that stack of three boxy devices at the front of the store, at the far left of the photo? (It's reminiscent of a Brancusi sculpture.)
I think the stack is actually two boxes (the bottommost "box" is a reflection on the floor). Maybe it's something simple, like a shopping basket dispenser? Time clock is another possibility that came to mind.
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Re: Safeway locations-Oakland, Calif.-1963

Post by BillyGr »

When you zoom in on the photo, it actually looks like it could be two different items. The "box" in the back and the part that looks like it is stacked may actually be supported by the metal posts just in front of it (from the view of the photographer).

The wooden? part that sits farther back on the floor reminds me of what they used at information centers to put those books in that always have specials on lodging rooms in the area - maybe in this case one of those "free" newspapers used it (being convenient to grab on the way out)?

Not quite sure what the other one would be, though - something that had to hang for display possibly?

One other thought - those "dinner plates" all look to have a striped something across the bottom - perhaps they are actually disposable paper type plates in packages? Before I saw that, I was going to say some type of dishes that many places used to offer as a bonus if you spent a certain amount in store.
Jason B.
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Re: Safeway locations-Oakland, Calif.-1963

Post by Jason B. »

The "Oakland Tribune" of September 16, 1964 has an article about the opening of a new Safeway store building at 6310 College Avenue in Oakland (intersection of College Ave. and Claremont Ave.). That building was used for the next 49 years. It was demolished in 2013. A new Safeway store building stands on that site.

The September 1964 article states that an older Safeway store stood on that site. So that means that a progression of three Safeway store buildings have stood at or near the intersection of the College and Claremont avenues in Oakland.

The building that opened in 1964 was 22,042 square feet. It had 45 employees with an annual payroll of $300,000. Clare H. Colvin was the store manager. The new store had parking spaces for 110 cars. Three properties were purchased to provide space for the parking lot. Wurster, Bernardi, and Emmons of San Francisco was the architectural firm. It had a "large glass front" and had "an arched roof supported by laminated wood beams." It had "tilt-up concrete wall panels" that were "finished with natural rock. All interior walls are multi colored, featuring cut-out mobiles." The article stated, "The meat preparation room is glass enclosed." The article noted that the meat department was set up for service and self-service. The store generally was open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with shorter hours on Sundays, and longer hours on Thursdays and Fridays (open until 10 p.m.).
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