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Bashas'

Posted: 01 Jan 2007 17:22
by reymann
I'm going to be in Arizona next week and I curious what anyone knows about Bashas'. All I know is that it is a very popular supermarket chain in Arizona.

Posted: 01 Jan 2007 21:27
by lvkewlkid
I know that it isnt 24 hours.

Posted: 01 Jan 2007 22:16
by krogerclerk
Basha's dates back to 1932, and is family owned. They operate over 150 stores, mostly in Arizona but 1 in Needles, CA and somewhere in New Mexico. Besides the Basha's banner, there is Food City, A. J.'s Fine Foods, a remnant of the A. J. Bayless Co., once the premier grocer in Arizona, and Dine Markets on the Indian Reservations. They operate more stores than Fry's/Smith's(Kroger) and Safeway, covering most of Arizona, but is in third place in market share behind the two national chains. Their stores can be found in smaller markets than Fry's and Safeway. For instance, the nearest Fry's to Winslow is in Prescott or Flagstaff, while Basha's is in town.

Basha's has a lot of potential to benefit from Albertson's decline as the Arizona stores are likely to be sold or closed. Since Albertson's only entered Arizona in the early 90's, this would be a chance for Basha's to get some larger stores in the more populated Phoenix and Tucson markets. Also, New Mexico and nearby areas of Utah would be the likeliest expansion markets for Basha's, the Needles, CA store being the only area of California that would support Basha's.

Posted: 02 Jan 2007 00:06
by reymann
It wouldn't suprise me if Basha's takes over the remaining Albertsons stores in Arizona. If Basha's were to buy out the rocky mountain region, they would expand to Utah, New Mexico and even Colorado and they could even be in the drivers seat to buy the Southern California stores if Super Valu is looking for a buyer, that is if Basha's is interested in buying out the remaining Albertsons in their region. The ball could be in their court if they are looking to branch out. I hope Basha's has good prices and service.

Posted: 02 Jan 2007 01:04
by jamcool
Bashas' basically is tied with Safeway for #2 share behind Fry's. Most of Fry's stores are in Phoenix & Tucson, while Bashas' and Safeway dominate the smaller towns. They operate under several formats, the traditional Bashas' markets, the upscale A.J.'s stores, the Latino-oriented Food City stores, and the Dine markets on Indian reservations, along with a few experimental formats.

Bashas' was originally a Phoenix based chain until the 80s when they began expanding by buying out smaller operators and stores from defunct chains. They bought the grocery stores operated by Babbitt Bros in northern Arizona, the Phelps Dodge Mercantile stores in eastern Arizona, the one-store Food City operation (of which a number of older Bashas' stores have been converted to), the remaining stores of A J Bayless/Arizona Supermarkets (where the AJ's stores came from), and a number of stores picked up when Southwest Supermarkets and ABCO Foods (originally Alpha Beta and Lucky stores)

Posted: 02 Jan 2007 13:27
by jamcool
Eddie Basha and his sons have a profitable niche in AZ and have no current plans to expand out of state (except for the Needles store and one in Crownpoint NM)

If they were, NM would be a likely expansion, similar demographics, and some operators desiring to get rid of their stores (like Raley's and maybe Albertsons)

Posted: 02 Jan 2007 19:09
by Groceteria
Hi all. Interesting stuff and all, but if we could keep this topic focused on history, that would be great.

Thanks.

Posted: 05 Jan 2007 02:26
by reymann
If anyone has any interior photos of Bashas' from over the years. Don't be afraid to post them up.

Posted: 19 Jan 2007 02:31
by Dean
I have been to a few Bashas' when I have been in AZ. I felt that one in particular was unique/cool. If I recall...there was a flight of stairs...and a seating area upstairs. There was a cool view of the entire store from this eating area. I wonder if that was originally an in-house diner for the store?

Bashas' must pick up loads of product themselves in Southern California. Periodically, I see their trucks on the metropolitan LA freeways.

Posted: 19 Jan 2007 07:28
by Dave
Dean wrote:I have been to a few Bashas' when I have been in AZ. I felt that one in particular was unique/cool. If I recall...there was a flight of stairs...and a seating area upstairs. There was a cool view of the entire store from this eating area. I wonder if that was originally an in-house diner for the store?...
Ukrop's in Richmond has several stores with an upstairs dining area for their cafe operation. It seems to be a standard featuire of their latest store prototype.

Bashas' w/ Restaurant

Posted: 06 Feb 2007 13:10
by SContreras
Image


Here's an image of a Bashas' eatery elevated above the customer service desk...

Posted: 06 Feb 2007 14:28
by Groceteria
Once again, let's please keep this focused on the HISTORY of the chain, not its current operations. I'll have to close the thread otherwise.

Thanks,
David

Historical Bashas'

Posted: 06 Feb 2007 15:00
by SContreras
Image

Here's a pic of one of the first Bashas' stores in Chandler, AZ--Bashas' hometown. If you like to explore history, and you're ever in Chandler, you need to visit the Bashas' corporate offices where the original store used to be. Bashas' added the local pool hall to the store and turned everything into offices, and the movie theater nearby is now the company's print shop.

Posted: 09 Feb 2007 00:48
by jamcool
Here is a photo including the Bashas' in downtown Glendale in the 60s

http://www.acmeron.com/arizona/glendale%20bashas.jpg

The building is now gov't offices and still has the pylon. Down the street a few blocks is a former pyloned Safeway which is now Ceretta Candy Co. Until the 70s most Bashas' were built with their distinctive pylon signage.

Posted: 09 Feb 2007 12:42
by SContreras
Some of the older Bashas' STILL have the pylon! lol THis is Bashas' on 7th Ave & Osborn (the same store with the upstairs eatery) in Phoenix.

Image

The store (Bashas' #3) has old pictures of the neighborhood posted around the store to commemorate the era when it was built.

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