White Front Stores

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Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

javelin wrote:
I know that many SF/Peninsula White Front stores had Brentwood Markets attached, as per this thread. I've wondered if the Brentwoods always operated under their own names or if they too were referred to as "White Front Supermarket" at some point. I know the buildings appear to have been designed to make the whole thing look like something of a seemless whole.
The White Front on Mountain in Ontario had been referred to as a combo retail store/supermarket, too big for a discount store alone even by today's standards. It's been long deserted and will be razed soon if it hasn't already.
For a long time this was a Target and Food 4 Less. Target closed and moved to Montclair and Food 4 Less......just closed.
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runchadrun
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Post by runchadrun »

Accodring to a 6/16/1964 LA Times article, Foods Co ran the food, liquor, and drug departments at White Front in the Bay Area.

According to a 12/12/1971 article in regarding the pending closure of several White Front stores:
In many locations White Front stores were constructed with an adjacent supermarket which was leased to an independent grocery store. Several of the food stores moved out, leaving White Front with heavy real estate costs.
In December 1972, 21 of the 37 White Fronts were to be closed. In January 1973 the Sacramento and San Francisco area stores were to be sold and become Rainbow Stores but the deal fell apart, which led White Front's parent company into bankruptcy. The 7 remaining stores in Socal closed in 1974.
Paper or Plastic
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Post by Paper or Plastic »

If anyone has location addresses for the Sacramento region, please post them!
wulfgar64
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Sacramento White Fronts

Post by wulfgar64 »

There were 2 White Fronts that I can recall in Sacramento. The first one was in located at Florin Rd and Stockton Bl just east of the Florin Mall. The second one was somewhere on Arden Way. Can't remember the crossstreets. If I remember correctly, the Florin/Stockton store was briefly a Zodys in the late 70s.
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TheStranger
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Re: Sacramento White Fronts

Post by TheStranger »

wulfgar64 wrote:There were 2 White Fronts that I can recall in Sacramento. The first one was in located at Florin Rd and Stockton Bl just east of the Florin Mall. The second one was somewhere on Arden Way. Can't remember the crossstreets. If I remember correctly, the Florin/Stockton store was briefly a Zodys in the late 70s.
The Florin/Stockton location became Pak 'n Save and Dollar Tree later on (the Dollar Tree moved about 4 months ago across the street to one of the remaining buildings in the Florin Mall outlot).

The second one, is that where Safeway/Longs is now at Arden/Watt?
Chris Sampang
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Re: Sacramento White Fronts

Post by Paper or Plastic »

The second one, is that where Safeway/Longs is now at Arden/Watt?
I think that was a closed up pack n save before it was remodeled into a safeway... it was yellow and black inside. The whole center was abandoned then remodeled.
scanman2
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White Front selling groceries

Post by scanman2 »

On another locked thread I saw somebody asking about White Front selling groceries. Yes some of them did. I can speak for the store in Anaheim as I grew up there as a kid and would go shopping with mom, dad, and sis. I also remember getting one of those beds that looked like a race car there. Wish I still had that lol!
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Post by tkaye »

The Tacoma store sold groceries as well... I assume that it was a leased department, similar to the Kmart/Baza'r Foods arrangement at the time.
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timbabcock
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Re: White Front Stores

Post by timbabcock »

I have been fascinated by White Front ever since I learned of thier existence (which was about 5 years ago) I know they were predominantly a western chain, but did they have any locations on the east coast?
They operated a chain of stores that were very similar to White Front called Topps. They even used the trademark arch.
Old Poet 54
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Re: White Front Stores

Post by Old Poet 54 »

I spent my early childhood in El Monte, California (1954-1966), and fondly remember going to the White Front Department Store with my parents. I am not sure exactly where the store was located, but it seemed to be around 20 minutes from my house (on E. Ranchito near Norwood Elementary School). I left California in 1966 and have not lived there since. Also, I have spent the last 30 years in the United States Army. Still, I look back with much pleasure on my early childhood in El Monte and going to places such as White Front. Also, I remember a unique and unsual general store named, "Crawford's"--it seemed like this store sold everything. Not sure if it sill exits.
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Re: White Front Stores

Post by Jeff »

Crawfords still exists at Five Points in El Monte. Over the years it has changed with the neighborhood and is more of a Latino-oriented market than it was 20 years ago. It anchors the Five Points center and has outlasted many markets around it.

As for the White Front, I don't know where that was either. It could have been in Alhambra, or areas east.
Old Poet 54
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Re: White Front Stores

Post by Old Poet 54 »

I spent my early childhood in El Monte, CA from 1954 to 1966. I remember going to a White Front, but I am not sure exactly where. The store seemed about a 20-minute drive from my house, which was on E. Ranchito, close to both Norwood Elementary School and (then) Durfee Middle School. I have not lived in California since 1966, and am on my 30th year in the US Army. I have so very fond memories of El Monte, including goint to White Front. Another big thrill was going to a really unique and unusual general store called, "Crawfords."
Old Poet 54
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Re: White Front Stores

Post by Old Poet 54 »

Jeff: Thanks for the information. I have a duplicate entry as I am new to this and didn't think my first entry got posted. In retrospect, I am pretty sure the White Front store was located in Alhambra as I remember hearing my parents and older sisters talk about this town. We went to Crawford's quite a bit, one of the reasons being it was an entertaining place. I also remember my first encounter with the Oscar Meyer weiner mobile happening in the Crawford parking lot. I am happy to hear that the store still exists. Don't know if you lived or near El Monte, but we lived about half-way between Norwood Elementary School and (then) Durfee Middle School which was built in either 1965 or 1966. There was an actual diary operated pretty close to the school and that is where my parents bought their milk. I am pretty sure it closed a long time ago. I hoping to do a road trip in the summer of 2009 and ride the "Mother Road" back to California for a visit. I am now live on the East Coast (DC), and am yearning to see the West Coast, in particular Southern California again. I passed through brief in June 2000, but only spent about 20 minutes in El Monte.
Jeff
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Re: White Front Stores

Post by Jeff »

I live about 10 minutes from El Monte, In Monterey Park.
I wasn't born until 75, therefore don't know what a White Front was like.
But I do know the history of some local stores and remember that Alhambra I beleive was one.
Old Poet 54
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Re: White Front Stores

Post by Old Poet 54 »

Thanks anyway Jeff. My recollection of White Front would be something similiar to K-Mart or Wal Mart at a time when stores such as these did not exist. I think that was the "thrill" or "adventure" of going to this store--everything under one roof. A little bit like Crawford, but also a lot different. Incidently, when I left California (with my parents), we moved to a very rural part of Arkansas. We were about 60 miles from Bentonville, Arkansas and actually witnessed the birth of another department store, Wal Mart, in the late 1960s/early 1970s.

I am familiar with Monterey Park. My grandmother (deceased) lived in Baldwin Park, which is also not too far from El Monte.
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