Groceteria.com

I visited the Daly City, Calif. Safeway at the Westlake shopping center on May 5th. The exterior seems to be a customized version of the early 1990s "postmodern" Safeway (I think that this is called "lifestyle"). The interior had early 1990s decor.

Daly City is a city of approximately 100,000 population directly south of San Francisco. I believe that most of the city's neighborhoods (predominately consisting of detached single-family homes) were built just after World War II.

The Westlake center is undergoing a major renovation. New buildings are under construction. There is a 2-story Home Depot in the center. Also competing for grocery business within the center is a Trader Joe's with a colorful mural that depicts local landmarks.

Perhaps the Safeway store expanded from its original footprint at some time, maybe in early 1990s. There is what appears to be a load-bearing wall bisecting the interior of the store. This store also seems to have more early 1990s signs than I've seen in other Safeway stores re-decorated in that era. (For example, one sign is about "Pancakes & Syrup" -- usually I've just seen the dairy, meats, produce, etc. signs.)

Sign at front of the store says that Safeway has served Daly City since 1967. This was surprisingly late. Safeway opened stores in many San Francisco Bay Area communities in the late 1920s.

The product mix at this store reflects the ethnic diversity of the community (there is an especially large Filipino community in Daly City; I don't know if there are supermarkets or large grocers that cater directly to that population). About 2/3 of an aisle is devoted to Asian foods. Many types of canned coconut milk. Jufran-brand banana sauce (red like ketchup) is sold in regular and hot flavors (manufactured by Heinz Co. in the Philippines).

Certificates near the front of the store say that this is Safeway Store No. 3031. For whatever reason, the San Mateo County government has issued separate certificates for the seafood and bakery departments.

This store was not originally a Safeway. I think Daly City's first modern-era Safeway was the demolished Washington Avenue (?) Marina-style store where In & Out Burger and Krispy Kreme are now, although there was one at 6282 Mission (which is just barely south of the SF city limit) in 1928-1930.

There's been some discussion here or on the old board before, but it started out as the "Westlake Market", which was (I'm told) owned by one Vincent James Nevolo, who also owned Skyline Foods nearby. I'm not sure how the progression to Safeway transpired, but Mr. Nevolo apparently had a stroke in the early 1970s, which may have been the beginning of the end for his stores.

FYi, there is a topic on Daly City/Northern San Mateo County stores here which has some related info:

http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=608

Skyline Foods...that must be what was Cala at Skyline Plaza, and now Ranch 99?

The demolished Marina was on Washington Street and was built around 1958, if I recall (from the previous thread).

I got an email from a former Safeway employee a few weeks ago which said this Westlake Market was a Brentwood in the 80s before it became Safeway.

As for any Filipino-oriented supermarkets in Daly City...there's the small Phillipine Grocery over at Hill Street and Washington (near 280)...plus the usual smattering of Asian supermarkets in town, i.e. Pacific Super in the ex-Safeway marina at St. Francis Square, Manila Oriental in the ex-Cala at King Plaza, and the aforementioned Ranch 99.

TheStranger wrote:Skyline Foods...that must be what was Cala at Skyline Plaza, and now Ranch 99?

I think so.

It would make a lot of sense for the Westlake Safeway to have gone through a Brentwood period. I'd sort of suspected as much. My source also said that the store was originally where Walgreens now stands. I'm not sure about that, though.