Early 1960s Ralphs and Vons units, Van Nuys, CA

Uh...California.

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TheStranger
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Early 1960s Ralphs and Vons units, Van Nuys, CA

Post by TheStranger »

Ralphs is mentioned as planning this store in the July 1961 issue of Chain Store Age (page 13)...

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while the Vons is featured extensively on Page 87 of the September 1961 issue, due to its large health/beauty department.

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more: http://dtcwrt.earlracing.com/stores/csa ... annuys.jpg
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Post by runchadrun »

The Ralphs is probably the store at Sherman Way and Woodman. There's a 4/16/1961 article in the LA Times announcing its groundbreaking. An article from a year later expected it to open in June, 1962. According to that article, "Basic construction materials in the one-story building include brick, and tapered steel girders. Decorative steel columns will highlight the facade and an extensive use of glass and exotic mosaic paneling will accent the design." I find it fascinating what qualified as news back then... It's still a Ralphs though much more boring that it probably was when it opened.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3159641

The Vons is on Van Nuys Blvd just south of Vanowen and is a Jons today. I recently help run a volunteer office in the same shopping center and researched the store's past so I know it was a Vons. And the palm trees are still there. In this shot you can see a truck in the loading dock ramp, which goes under part of the parking lot.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3141148
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Post by Jeff »

Many 1960's era streetfront Vons stores looked like that one. The one off the top of my head is in Downey on Paramount.
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Post by Groceteria »

Jeff wrote:Many 1960's era streetfront Vons stores looked like that one. The one off the top of my head is in Downey on Paramount.
Ditto LaTijera near LaCienega, which was still open as a Vons on my last visit.
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Ralphs

Post by J-Man »

From the caption to the photo: "the one story supermarket ..." Huh? How many two-story supermarkets are there? Do you think they wrote that because, as pictured in the photo, the building looks like it could be two stories?
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Post by Jeff »

Groceteria wrote:
Jeff wrote:Many 1960's era streetfront Vons stores looked like that one. The one off the top of my head is in Downey on Paramount.
Ditto LaTijera near LaCienega, which was still open as a Vons on my last visit.
I just drove by that location yesterday.
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