Groceteria.com

Jeff wrote:Hughes is still alive, technically.

http://www.howsmarkets.com/

As soon as they were sold to Ralphs, the Hughes family bought a couple Ralphs stores and converted them to Hows Markets.

They kept the same blue and white interior colors, and stocked the same merch, and fresh meats.

There may be only 4 locations in So Cal, but Hughes faithful still go there, and the store in San Marino, a former Ralphs, still has friendly service and great products.

Dean wrote:Just noticed an ad recently...and also their site. The chain is listed as HOWS Hughes Family Grocers. Has the tag line been on there since HOWS began?

runchadrun wrote:(I originally posted this as a separate thread, which I've deleted and posted here instead.)

I found this detailed history of Hughes Markets that I thought people might find interesting. It was written after they were bought by QFC and before QFC was bought by Kroger.
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company- ... story.html

Clumsygenes wrote:There was a Hughes Market down on Whittier Blvd in La Habra. I wish it was still there.

greebs wrote: ↑31 Jan 2007 00:52

Jeff wrote:

runchadrun wrote: 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.

Dean wrote: ↑12 Jan 2007 02:00 The RALPHS in La Habra CA that had been a former HUGHES Market recently closed. When the RALPHS sign was removed...the old HUGHES writing could still be seen! Former HUGHES sites in San Bernarndino, Rialto and Victorville are all still RALPHS.

OCRedCub wrote: ↑29 Jan 2007 00:50 Hughes Market on Whittier Blvd in La Habra was a relatively upscale store. Probably because it was the market closest to the wealthy areas of La Habra Heights When it became Ralphs, they closed the middle aisle that ran the enitre width of the store (making shoppers feel isolated and lonely) and dropped many of the gourmet items that made a trip to Hughes interesting.
Ralphs was constantly adjusting the store layout until the store closed, leaving odd unfinished scars on the floors. It seemed like no one returned to this location after the grocery strike. Their produce and meat departments were always full of expiring markdowns, and many of their in-store signs were handmade in the final months.
Hughes was the first 24 hour store in the area.
I remember seeing ads for Hughes/El Rancho Markets, but ours was just plain Hughes. Never did see the El Rancho locations.

Clumsygenes wrote: ↑24 Jan 2010 04:19 There was a Hughes Market down on Whittier Blvd in La Habra. I wish it was still there.