NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

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Groceteria
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NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

Post by Groceteria »

By request: http://www.groceteria.com/place/arizona/phoenix/

This is an interesting one. Phoenix is where Safeway acquired the Pay'n Takit brand, and it was used here a good bit later than in other markets where it was introduced. It was also a fairly quick and easy city for fo because its major growth spurt was just beginning in 1960. I hope to get back there some day to do more recent research.
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Re: NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

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Thanks for doing this one. I was especially curious about the original El Rancho locations which evidently represented Mayfair Markets entry into Arizona. The design of the shopping center at 3217 E Camelback Rd. is a good example of a shopping center design they also used in some Las Vegas locations with the store sitting in the back corner of the property.

This is a good Las Vegas example:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Las+V ... 15.1398296

It still has the sign structure from the Mayfair days (now a Planet Fitness):
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.1447972 ... 384!8i8192

I had forgotten about Aj Bayless. I was in one of their new stores in the mid 80's. It was a horrible store, already outdated when it was built. It looks like they had the highest store count in 1960. I wonder if they were ever market share leader in Phoenix?
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Re: NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

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klkla wrote: 29 Sep 2018 19:42I had forgotten about Aj Bayless. I was in one of their new stores in the mid 80's. It was a horrible store, already outdated when it was built. It looks like they had the highest store count in 1960. I wonder if they were ever market share leader in Phoenix?
I think they were pretty well up there at one point. They were apparently bought out by Basha's in the early 1990s and Basha's has recently been using "AJ's" as an upscale store brand.

I think Phoenix would be really interesting to study further, particularly in the 1960s-1980s. Alas, I would probably have to do that research in person and it doesn't seem likely I'll be in that area anytime soon.
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Re: NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

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klkla wrote: 29 Sep 2018 19:42I had forgotten about Aj Bayless. I was in one of their new stores in the mid 80's. It was a horrible store, already outdated when it was built. It looks like they had the highest store count in 1960. I wonder if they were ever market share leader in Phoenix?
I think they were pretty well up there at one point. They were apparently bought out by Basha's in the early 1990s and Basha's has recently been using "AJ's" as an upscale store brand.

I think Phoenix would be really interesting to study further, particularly in the 1960s-1980s. Alas, I would probably have to do that research in person and it doesn't seem likely I'll be in that area anytime soon.
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Re: NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

Post by Andrew T. »

Thanks for posting this. It looks like Phoenix has a few decently-intact 1940s and 1950s Safeways in its repertoire...805 E. Indian School Rd., 1717 E. McDowell Rd., and 1105 E. van Buren St. all still stand in recognizable condition. None of them have pylons, though.
"The pale pastels which have been featured in most food stores during the past 20 years are no longer in tune with the mood of the 1970s."
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Updated: Phoenix, 1925-1960

Post by Groceteria »

Phoenix is now updated to cover locations through 1980, adding Fry's, Furr's, Lucky, Alpha Beta, and Smitty's to the very competitive mix:

https://www.groceteria.com/place/arizona/phoenix/
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Re: NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

Post by klkla »

I would guess that 3435 W Buckeye Rd, Phoenix AZ was probably a regional distribution center. In 1980 Arden operated approximately 102 stores of which 43 were in Arizona (IIRC).

They had closed their central distribution center and corporate office complex on Slauson Ave. in Commerce around this same time and opened a small warehouse for liquor, produce and bulk sale items around the corner on Peachtree St. which I don't think was big enough to handle the Arizona stores plus SoCal and Nevada.
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Re: NEW: Phoenix, 1925-1960

Post by Groceteria »

klkla wrote: 24 Apr 2019 17:28 I would guess that 3435 W Buckeye Rd, Phoenix AZ was probably a regional distribution center.
That would be my guess as well. There was something in one of the listings that suggested there may have been a store on the site at some point, but I'm dubious and can't imagine where it would have been.
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