Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Moderator: Groceteria

lvkewlkid
Veteran
Posts: 140
Joined: 25 Nov 2006 13:30

Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by lvkewlkid »

I was wondering if anyone knows which Smith's converted to PriceRite and then to Food4Less and why the conversions happened? I thought that all of the Food4Less's were new-builds, until I found out that 3602 E Bonanza is a former Smith's, anyone know when it did the conversion and if the gas station was operated by Smith's before Food4Less...
User avatar
storewanderer
Veteran
Posts: 569
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 03:24
Location: Western United States
Contact:

Post by storewanderer »

551 40551 PRICE RITE 4001 S. DECATUR BLVD LAS VEGAS NV 89103
552 40552 PRICE RITE 3250 E. FLAMINGO BLVD LAS VEGAS NV 89121
553 40553 PRICE RITE 3602 E. BONANZA RD LAS VEGAS NV 89110
554 40554 PRICE RITE 1941 N. DECATUR BLVD LAS VEGAS NV 89108
555 40555 PRICE RITE 2255 N. LAS VEGAS BLVD S. NORTH LAS VEGAS NV 89104
561 40561 PRICE RITE 26 EAST BASELINE RD PHOENIX AZ 85040
562 40562 PRICE RITE 1940 WEST INDIAN SCHOOL PHOENIX AZ 85015
571 40571 PRICE RITE 1601 ARENAL ROAD SW ALBUQUERQUE NM 87105
572 40572 PRICE RITE 980 US HIGHWAY 666 GALLUP NM 87301
573 40573 PRICE RITE 800 WEST BENDER BLVD HOBBS NM 88240


Some or all of the NV ones had been branded Mega Foods and/or Food 4 Less prior to being branded Price Rite.

Albuquerque still operates as Price Rite. That location was a former Smiths.
Photobucket now allows for comments on each photo! http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/StoreWest/
lvkewlkid
Veteran
Posts: 140
Joined: 25 Nov 2006 13:30

Post by lvkewlkid »

so, all of those are former Smiths?

thanks for the info...One of my friends thought that Smith's was out of business because it turned into a Food4Less, when I told her that I went to Smith's the other day...
User avatar
storewanderer
Veteran
Posts: 569
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 03:24
Location: Western United States
Contact:

Post by storewanderer »

No, aside from Albuquerque, I don't know that any of them are former Smiths. I do know that the Las Vegas ones are not former Smiths.

There are a number of former Smiths locations in SoCal that have become F4L, some immediately after Smiths left the SoCal in the mid 90's and some that have evolved as time has gone on.
Photobucket now allows for comments on each photo! http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/aa113/StoreWest/
rnaikens
Contributor
Posts: 49
Joined: 04 Nov 2006 05:03
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by rnaikens »

551 40551 PRICE RITE 4001 S. DECATUR BLVD LAS VEGAS NV 89103
552 40552 PRICE RITE 3250 E. FLAMINGO BLVD LAS VEGAS NV 89121

Both stores opened as independent Food 4 Less's suppplied from Fleming SLC. Sold to a Food 4 Less group from Modesto and supplied by Unified. Sold again to Megafoods out of Phoenix. When Mega went bankrupt, they also had 2 other stores in Las Vegas, sold to Smith's. They were the first two Price Rite stores and highly successfull. Smith's didn't want the Megafoods on Boulder Hwy or Wigwam. When Kroger bought Smiths, the FFL Kroger division took them over. The Mega on Boulder Hwy (498 S) is a 24 hr fitness now. The Wigwam (2556) store was aquired by a home improvement chain that went out of business. it's a 24 Hour Fitness now.

553 40553 PRICE RITE 3602 E. BONANZA RD LAS VEGAS NV 89110

Was orginally slated to be a Smith's super store. When the first two Price Rites took off, especially with the Latino clientel, Smith's gave the location to PR and they completed construction. Hugely sucessfull store. I heard it was doing around 750k per week the first year.

554 40554 PRICE RITE 1941 N. DECATUR BLVD LAS VEGAS NV 89108

Originally a smaller Smith's super store. Smith's closed it when Craig & Rancho opened. The landloard had been burned by Smith's closing several other locations and he successfully sued them. Smith's reopened it as a Pioneer Market (conventional store, high prices, small ad in the Las Vegas Sun. It did only 30k per week. (As a Smith's it did between 200-300k per week). Next Smith's tried a Costco type store named Buy N Save. It only did about 30k per week as well. Finally Price Rite took over the location and remodeled it. Store kicked butt for it's size. Food 4 Less took over after the merger and remodeled the store again. I think it still kicks butt for it's size.

555 40555 PRICE RITE 2255 N. LAS VEGAS BLVD S. NORTH LAS VEGAS NV 89104

Built as a Smith's super store and a high volume one as well. Theft and shrink made the store barely profitable. Price Rite took it over. Not sure how well they did, but it was consistently busy. Became a FFL after the merger.

561 40561 PRICE RITE 26 EAST BASELINE RD PHOENIX AZ 85040
562 40562 PRICE RITE 1940 WEST INDIAN SCHOOL PHOENIX AZ 85015

Don't remember anything about these stores. Were a former Smith's or Smitty's?

571 40571 PRICE RITE 1601 ARENAL ROAD SW ALBUQUERQUE NM 87105

Former old skool Smith's superstore and doing an acceptable volume and profit. Store was to the point where it either needed to be remodeled or closed. Due to the location in the "hollow", they gave it to Price Rite instead. Operated as a part of the New Mexico Smith's district when Price Rite was shut down.

572 40572 PRICE RITE 980 US HIGHWAY 666 GALLUP NM 87301

I think this was a remodeled into a super store Smith's that was doing okay but not great. The demographics were right up Price Rite's alley. Not sure if it was successfull, but I think Price Rite may have closed this one when it didn't perform well. Not really sure.

573 40573 PRICE RITE 800 WEST BENDER BLVD HOBBS NM 88240

Smith's had two older but remodeled conventional stores in Hobb's that they aquired from Market? in the 70's. When I worked there, the Marland store did about 125k per week. Not bad for a conventional in the 80's. The other store was bigger and nicer and sucked. It did around 75k per week. Even in the 80's this was barely acceptable sales. The Alpha Beta and Furr's totally kicked dirt in Smith's face. Smith's didn't like loosing in the 80's...ever. They closed both stores, went away for I think 8 years, and then came back with a new Super store in the mid nineties. It sucked rocks from the git go and they gave it to Price Rite. Price Rite didn't want it either. I believe Price Rite closed this one down after a short time.

Price Rite was originally kicked off by Jim Halsey, the current President of Smiths and a gentleman from the Furr's Warehouse concept, Rob? The sudden collapse of Megafoods and the rumor mill buzzing about Smitty's coming to Vegas, pushed the concept forward. The locations they wanted did very well. The stores Smith's dumped on them, not so good. Peace with the Retail clerks union and a suddenly exploding latino market in Las Vegas helped them greatly.
Last edited by rnaikens on 20 Jan 2008 01:21, edited 1 time in total.
jamcool
Veteran
Posts: 213
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 16:10

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by jamcool »

rnaikens wrote:561 40561 PRICE RITE 26 EAST BASELINE RD PHOENIX AZ 85040
562 40562 PRICE RITE 1940 WEST INDIAN SCHOOL PHOENIX AZ 85015

Don't remember anything about these stores. Were a former Smith's or Smitty's?
Baseline Rd location was probably a Smith's
W Indian School location opened as an Albertsons, was closed due to "neighborhood changes", picked up by Smith's who opened it as Price Rite, closed during the Fry's/Smith's consolidation, is now reopened as a Food City (Bashas')
rnaikens wrote:572 40572 PRICE RITE 980 US HIGHWAY 666 GALLUP NM 87301

I think this was a remodeled into a super store Smith's that was doing okay but not great. The demographics were right up Price Rite's alley. Not sure if it was successfull, but I think Price Rite may have closed this one when it didn't perform well. Not really sure.
Opened as a Smith's, became a Price Rite, store was sold to Safeway, who moved from their location near I-40. Is one of SWY's few NM stores and is a part of their Phoenix division

<<Edited by moderator to correctly frame quoted material. Please see this article for instructions on how to quote correctly.>>
rnaikens
Contributor
Posts: 49
Joined: 04 Nov 2006 05:03
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by rnaikens »

Smith's \ Pantry Pride \ Food Fair LV Stores

Dates may not be entirely accurate. Smith's store# are Food Fair numbers + 300

Category Number Street Store# Start End
Smiths 22 E Oakey Smiths 362 1966 1988 (Myers Mkt closed 2004 - building to be demolished for new arena
Smiths 1221 E Sahara Smiths 361 1966 1979 (Asian Grocery recently closed)
Smiths 1310 E Lake Md Smiths 363 - A 1968 1970 (Carved into a mini mall)
Smiths 2925 E Sahara Smiths 364 1971 1979 (Big Lots)
Smiths 150 N Eastern Smiths 375 1980 1988 (Carved into mini mall)
Smiths 232 N Jones Smiths 371 1977 2004 (Remodeled into Store 359, closed after Raleys merger, vacant)
Smiths 1401 N Decatur Food Fair 66 1968 1971 (Carved into 2 non grocery stores)
Smiths 2021 N Civic Ctr Smiths 363 - B 1971 1988 (Latino Mkt)
Smiths 2987 N LV BLVD Smiths 361 1963 1979 (Latino Mkt)
Smiths 3459 S Jones Smiths 368 1977 1987 (Asian Mkt)
Smiths 3651 S Maryland Smiths 360 1968 1988 (Demolished for new elementary school)
Smiths 4962 S Eastern Smiths 372 1977 1988 (Vacant, was a PetCo)
Smiths 1024 W Owens Smiths 367 1968 1977 (Welfare office)
Smiths 2909 W Washin Smiths 366 1971 1979 (Big lots?)
Smiths 3830 W Sahara Smiths 365 1963 1986 (Demolished, site is a Rite Aid next to a FFL)
Smiths Henderson Food Fair 64 1966 1971 (Maybe wrong..think it's the parking lot of Albertson's)

Have Albertsons, Lucky, Mayfair, Thriftymart and Vegas Villiage as well. NOTE: No Mayfairs were Food Fairs and visa versa)
rnaikens
Contributor
Posts: 49
Joined: 04 Nov 2006 05:03
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by rnaikens »

Anybody want to add on to this list of Smith's stores ie; what's there now?

Store # 188 80 N. Acoma Bl. Lake Havasu City AZ 86403
Store # 190 3490 Stockton Hills Rd. Kingman AZ 86401
Store # 192 201 N Switzer Canyon Flagstaff AZ 86001
Store # 193 950 W. Fair Street Prescott AZ 86301
Store # 194 4036 N. 1st St. Tucson AZ 85719
Store # 195 7050 E. 22nd St. Tucson AZ 85710
Store # 196 2950 W. Ina Road. Tucson AZ 85741
Store # 197 2480 N. Swan Rd. Tucson AZ 85712
Store # 198 902 W. Irvington Rd Tucson AZ 85714
Store # 199 10380 E Broadway Tucson AZ 85748
Store # 306 7565 W. Peoria Ave. Peoria AZ 85345
Store # 307 500 W. 24th St. Yuma AZ 85364
Store # 308 1135 N. Recker Rd. Mesa AZ 85205
Store # 310 857 N. Val Vista Dr. Gilbert AZ 85234
Store # 312 1575 Dysart Rd Avondale AZ 85323
Store # 313 1245 West Main St. Mesa AZ 85201
Store # 314 9245 W Union Hills Dr Peoria AZ 85345
Store # 315 435 Ellisworth Rd Mesa AZ 85208
Store # 318 730 S. Cooper Rd Gilbert AZ 85233
Store # 320 6321 E. Greenway Phoenix AZ 85254
Store # 321 4025 E. Thunderbird Rd. Phoenix AZ 85032
Store # 322 10660 Grand Ave Sun City AZ 85351
Store # 324 3255 South Rural Rd. Tempe AZ 85282
Store # 325 10450 N. 90th St. Scottsdale AZ 85258
Store # 327 4202 W. Cactus Rd. Phoenix AZ 85029
Store # 330 2075 N. Alma School Rd. Chandler AZ 85224
Store # 333 17232 N. 19th Ave. Phoenix AZ 85203
Store # 335 4505 E. Thomas Rd. Phoenix AZ 85018
Store # 336 4329 W. Northern Ave. Glendale AZ 85301
Store # 339 4735 E. Ray Rd. Phoenix AZ 85044
Store # 342 350 N. Mesquite Mesquite NV 89024
Store # 348 1000 N. Green Valley Pkwy Ste #E Las Vegas NV 89015
Store # 350 4600 E. Sunset Bl. Henderson NV 89105
Store # 351 6130 W. Tropicana Bl. Las Vegas NV 89103
Store # 352 3600 Virginia St. Reno NV 89502
Store # 354 3850 E. Flamingo Rd. Las Vegas NV 89121
Store # 355 450 N. Nellis Las Vegas NV 89110
Store # 356
Store # 357 1255 Baring Bl. Sparks NV 89431
Store # 358 2450 So Maryland Pkwy Las Vegas NV 89109
Store # 359 232 N. Jones Bl. Las Vegas NV 89107
Store # 371 8555 West Sahara Ave Las Vegas NV 89117
Store # 376 2385 E Windmill Las Vegas NV 89123
Store # 381 830 So Boulder Hwy. Henderson NV 89105
Store # 383 4440 N. Rancho Dr. Las Vegas NV 89130
Store # 385 2211 N. Rampart Las Vegas NV 89128
Store # 413 1000 Rio Rancho Dr SE Albuquerque NM 87124
Store # 423 6125 4th St NW Albuquerque NM 87107
Store # 427 200 Tramway Bl. SE Albuquerque NM 87123
Store # 439 4700 Tramway Bl. NE Albuquerque NM 87112
Store # 446 6001 Lomas Ave. NE Albuquerque NM 87110
Store # 448 8301 Golf Course Rd. Albuquerque NM 87120
Store # 450 8040 Academy Rd. NE Albuquerque NM 87109
Store # 514 11320 Montwood Dr El Paso TX 79936
Store # 516 5210 Fairbanks El Paso TX 79924
5200 Montana Avenue El Paso TX
701 N. Zaragosa El Paso TX
2200 E. Lohman Las Cruces NM
User avatar
J-Mac
Veteran
Posts: 113
Joined: 04 Jan 2007 05:06
Location: Downey, CA
Contact:

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by J-Mac »

rnaikens wrote:Anybody want to add on to this list of Smith's stores ie; what's there now?
Many of the Phoenix Area Smiths stores wear the Fry's Food & Drug name now (via the Yucaipa/FredMeyer/Kroger mergers.)

I did notice this one:
Store # 339 4735 E. Ray Rd. Phoenix AZ 85044
I think its a "Room Store" - home furnishings. I'm guessing they closed this location in favor of a Frys at 3616 E. Ray Road, and a Marketplace also south a block at 3949 E Chandler Blvd.
Steve Landry
Veteran
Posts: 275
Joined: 04 Nov 2005 22:00
Location: West Hollywood

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by Steve Landry »

Wow, rnaikens, THANKS!!

Great work on tracking Food Fair/Pantry Prides in Las Vegas. My question is; were not most of these stores originally Fox Markets? Food Fair's entry into Las Vegas was via its merger with Fox (25 stores in Vegas and 50 stores in Los Angeles {including 1 in Palm Springs}).

I wonder if there are any archival photos of what they looked like as Fox and then Food Fair/Fox and finally Pantry Pride.

Also, would you have access to do the same research in Los Angeles, regarding Fox Markets?
The Food Fair Empire
rnaikens
Contributor
Posts: 49
Joined: 04 Nov 2006 05:03
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by rnaikens »

Don't know that it will be much help with Food Fair, but this info is from The Dee Smith Story by Howard Carlisle. This is a difficult to find book, but a great read.

FOOD GIANT
-Oct 71 Smith's aquired 26 of 62 Food Giant store from Vornado Inc, a conglomerate hq'd in NJ
-Exercised right of refusal and purchased 23 more in Mar 72
-Eventually sold 20 stores either to raise money or they were not able to return to profitablilty
-Took 7 years to "pay off" the stores

FOOD FAIR
-Dec 72 Smiths purchases 9 Food Fair \ Food City stores in Las Vegas (no mention in the chapter about any Food Fair stores in the LA Basin)
-Stores were named Smith's Pantry Pride for a time.
-Las Vegas was profitable right from the start until the retail clerks strike in 82. (I was told the division lost 1 million in 1984, the last year of the California region. They brought in Ken Findley from Ogden UT to run the division after the sale. He transformed that into a million dollar profit by 1986. By 1988, Las Vegas was growing by leaps and bounds. By the early 90's, some stores were doing 650k a week with some store managers making 200k per year.)

JORDANOS \ GREATWAY

-May 74 purchases 10 stores from both chains

The book has a grand opening photo of the Van Nuys store entrance and a Pantry Pride photo of Smiths #360.
jamcool
Veteran
Posts: 213
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 16:10

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by jamcool »

The Kingman and Havasu stores are still Smith's, everything else in AZ became Fry's (or closed if it was near an existing Fry's that was in better shape than the Smith's)
dcpeachy
Member
Posts: 8
Joined: 10 Nov 2005 00:35

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by dcpeachy »

rnaikens wrote:Anybody want to add on to this list of Smith's stores ie; what's there now?

Store # 413 1000 Rio Rancho Dr SE Albuquerque NM 87124
Store # 423 6125 4th St NW Albuquerque NM 87107
Store # 427 200 Tramway Bl. SE Albuquerque NM 87123
Store # 439 4700 Tramway Bl. NE Albuquerque NM 87112
Store # 446 6001 Lomas Ave. NE Albuquerque NM 87110
Store # 448 8301 Golf Course Rd. Albuquerque NM 87120
Store # 450 8040 Academy Rd. NE Albuquerque NM 87109
All the Albuquerque stores listed are still operating as Smith's, along with many others, including a number of former Furr's stores. The only change is that #413 is now located in Rio Rancho (same address), which is attached to Albuquerque, but in another county.
lvkewlkid
Veteran
Posts: 140
Joined: 25 Nov 2006 13:30

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by lvkewlkid »

i believe that most of these stores are still Smith's and for the most part were always Smith's...

Store # 348 1000 N. Green Valley Pkwy Ste #E Las Vegas NV 89015 Still Smith's
Store # 350 4600 E. Sunset Bl. Henderson NV 89105 Still Smith's
Store # 351 6130 W. Tropicana Bl. Las Vegas NV 89103 Still Smith's
Store # 354 3850 E. Flamingo Rd. Las Vegas NV 89121 Still Smith's
Store # 355 450 N. Nellis Las Vegas NV 89110 Still Smith's
Store # 358 2450 So Maryland Pkwy Las Vegas NV 89109 Still Smith's
Store # 359 232 N. Jones Bl. Las Vegas NV 89107 Was Smith's, I believe now vacant, has great labelscars however
Store # 371 8555 West Sahara Ave Las Vegas NV 89117 Was Raley's now Smith's
Store # 376 2385 E Windmill Las Vegas NV 89123 still Smith's
Store # 381 830 So Boulder Hwy. Henderson NV 89105 still Smith's
Store # 383 4440 N. Rancho Dr. Las Vegas NV 89130 still Smith's
Store # 385 2211 N. Rampart Las Vegas NV 89128 still Smith's
rnaikens
Contributor
Posts: 49
Joined: 04 Nov 2006 05:03
Location: Las Vegas NV
Contact:

Re: Smith's/PriceRite/Food4Less Las Vegas

Post by rnaikens »

The only thing I would add to that is that Smith's started "recycling" store numbers for new units. #371 and #376 are not the original stores with those numbers. Will make it real confussing for future geneologists :0
Post Reply