Super Fair, Los Angeles

Uh...California.

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Groceteria
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Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Groceteria »

From "Newman's Law" (1974): https://youtu.be/IlORlqGknLU?t=4815

This was apparently a discount department store with a grocery department operated by Food Fair. This directory notes that there were two of them in 1969. From what I've read, the one in the movie above was already closed by the time it was filmed. Great shots, though.

Discussion here suggests it was at 11055 Victory Blvd., now a Target.

Calling Steve Landry...

Screen Shot 2023-04-14 at 9.13.42 PM.png
Screen Shot 2023-04-14 at 9.12.48 PM.png
Steve Landry
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Steve Landry »

Groceteria wrote: ↑14 Apr 2023 21:15 From "Newman's Law" (1974): https://youtu.be/IlORlqGknLU?t=4815

This was apparently a discount department store with a grocery department operated by Food Fair. This directory notes that there were two of them in 1969. From what I've read, the one in the movie above was already closed by the time it was filmed. Great shots, though.

Discussion here suggests it was at 11055 Victory Blvd., now a Target.

Calling Steve Landry...


Screen Shot 2023-04-14 at 9.13.42 PM.png


Screen Shot 2023-04-14 at 9.12.48 PM.png
Wow...........SO cool!

There is Food Fair written all over this building inside and out. The merchandising is definitely not Food Fair. None of my records can confirm this.

I believe this was a former Food Fair - J.M. Fields combo store because it matches their timeline presence on the west coast. It probalby closed before the film was made and bought by this extreme low end discount format company, Super Fair.

J.M Fields - Food Fair (Pantry Pride) is credited with this format that paved the way for the Wal Marts and the like of our times. Especially with the interior connection under one roof. I believe that the credit should go to Grand Union's Grandway but they did not match the scale of Food Fair's expansion. There were probably other smaller (companies)outlier operations that would qualify as well.

Thanks David for this jewel of a contribution! πŸ˜‰πŸ‘πŸ€©
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Groceteria »

Steve Landry wrote: ↑15 Apr 2023 12:31 There is Food Fair written all over this building inside and out. The merchandising is definitely not Food Fair. None of my records can confirm this.

I believe this was a former Food Fair - J.M. Fields combo store because it matches their timeline presence on the west coast. It probalby closed before the film was made and bought by this extreme low end discount format company, Super Fair.
The shape of the "produce" sign was a dead giveaway on the grocery side. My guess is that all the "junk" merchandise in the store was brought in as "set dressing." The oval-shaped departmental signage on the GM side do look like some I;ve seen in J.M. Fields photos.

A little research in the LA Times archives suggests the whole operation was owned by Food Fair and was called Super Fair for all its (short) life. The first ads appear in about 1965, and the one on the movie seems to have closed in 1974 when it began to sink (it was built on landfill from a dump). It looks to have been replaced by a new Gemco after that, which would explain the current Target on the site.

The_Los_Angeles_Times_Sun__Dec_19__1965_.jpg
Highland_Park_News_Herald_and_Journal_Thu__Mar_9__1972_.jpg
The_Los_Angeles_Times_Thu__Nov_14__1974_.jpg

Ad from 1965 and articles from 1972 and 1974.
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Steve Landry »

Groceteria wrote: ↑15 Apr 2023 13:20
Steve Landry wrote: ↑15 Apr 2023 12:31 There is Food Fair written all over this building inside and out. The merchandising is definitely not Food Fair. None of my records can confirm this.

I believe this was a former Food Fair - J.M. Fields combo store because it matches their timeline presence on the west coast. It probalby closed before the film was made and bought by this extreme low end discount format company, Super Fair.
The shape of the "produce" sign was a dead giveaway on the grocery side. My guess is that all the "junk" merchandise in the store was brought in as "set dressing." The oval-shaped departmental signage on the GM side do look like some I;ve seen in J.M. Fields photos.

A little research in the LA Times archives suggests the whole operation was owned by Food Fair and was called Super Fair for all its (short) life. The first ads appear in about 1965, and the one on the movie seems to have closed in 1974 when it began to sink (it was built on landfill from a dump). It looks to have been replaced by a new Gemco after that, which would explain the current Target on the site.


The_Los_Angeles_Times_Sun__Dec_19__1965_.jpg


Highland_Park_News_Herald_and_Journal_Thu__Mar_9__1972_.jpg The_Los_Angeles_Times_Thu__Nov_14__1974_.jpg


Ad from 1965 and articles from 1972 and 1974.
Incredible information!!

Super Fair? I had no idea of this format.

I have added it to my archives. Thank you David forever. So much of this company's history gets NO credit or interest.
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Groceteria »

I'm only able to find evidence that two of these ever existed: the one above in North Hollywood and another at 18300 Vanowen in Reseda (now the site of a Ralphs in what is likely a new building). They seem to have closed in 1972 along with rest of Food Fair's stores in the region. It looks like they tried to establish a West Coast clone of J.M. Fields and it never took off, sort of like Food Fair's whole operation in California.

This (the eleven-year history of Food Fair in California) may all end up as a post on the site soon, including the Iowa Pork Shops saga in Long Beach. Stay tuned...
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

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Groceteria wrote: ↑15 Apr 2023 19:48 I'm only able to find evidence that two of these ever existed: the one above in North Hollywood and another at 18300 Vanowen in Reseda (now the site of a Ralphs in what is likely a new building). They seem to have closed in 1972 along with rest of Food Fair's stores in the region. It looks like they tried to establish a West Coast clone of J.M. Fields and it never took off, sort of like Food Fair's whole operation in California.

This (the eleven-year history of Food Fair in California) may all end up as a post on the site soon, including the Iowa Pork Shops saga in Long Beach. Stay tuned...
There was also a very large cattle ranch and meat processing outfit in I think Colorado. So many other divisions like Ideal Shoe Company, resorts and hotels like the Diplomat in Hallendale Fl., stores in Israel and the Carribean, Giant shopping mall real estate developers, Banks, gas and service stations company, etc. etc. (I just can't find the stuff, LOL).

I came across a couple of J.M. Fields - Pantry Pride combos in Las Vegas and a California site and I lost it. Been searching ever since.

Can't wait to see the results of your prolific research skills.
πŸ˜‰πŸ€©

P.S. There is so much in this:

https://archive.org/details/unionpremie ... 9/mode/2up

But I cannot find the press (or even books) that support all this info.
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Steve Landry »

Steve Landry wrote: ↑16 Apr 2023 12:53
Groceteria wrote: ↑15 Apr 2023 19:48 I'm only able to find evidence that two of these ever existed: the one above in North Hollywood and another at 18300 Vanowen in Reseda (now the site of a Ralphs in what is likely a new building). They seem to have closed in 1972 along with rest of Food Fair's stores in the region. It looks like they tried to establish a West Coast clone of J.M. Fields and it never took off, sort of like Food Fair's whole operation in California.

This (the eleven-year history of Food Fair in California) may all end up as a post on the site soon, including the Iowa Pork Shops saga in Long Beach. Stay tuned...
There was also a very large cattle ranch and meat processing outfit in I think Colorado. So many other divisions like Ideal Shoe Company, resorts and hotels like the Diplomat in Hallendale Fl., stores in Israel and the Carribean, Giant shopping mall real estate developers, Banks, gas and service stations company, etc. etc. (I just can't find the stuff, LOL).

I came across a couple of J.M. Fields - Pantry Pride combos in Las Vegas and a California site and I lost it. Been searching ever since.

Can't wait to see the results of your prolific research skills.
πŸ˜‰πŸ€©

P.S. There is so much in this:

https://archive.org/details/unionpremie ... 9/mode/2up

But I cannot find the press (or even books) that support all this info.
I know you have been busy with some juicy research finds lately 😍 but, any upates on Super Fair?
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Groceteria »

Steve Landry wrote: ↑13 Nov 2023 12:50 I know you have been busy with some juicy research finds lately 😍 but, any upates on Super Fair?
Sadly, due to some work projects, I've been at one of those points where stringing actual sentences together for fun is beyond my capacity right now. Sigh...
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Re: Super Fair, Los Angeles

Post by Steve Landry »

Groceteria wrote: ↑16 Nov 2023 15:22
Steve Landry wrote: ↑13 Nov 2023 12:50 I know you have been busy with some juicy research finds lately 😍 but, any upates on Super Fair?
Sadly, due to some work projects, I've been at one of those points where stringing actual sentences together for fun is beyond my capacity right now. Sigh...
Understood......................... πŸ€ͺ

Don't forget to make some time for you πŸ˜‰πŸ€—
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