Thriftimart in So Cal

[mgrmk]

Does any one know the story with Thrifty Mart in southern California? I remember them primarily for there big "T" signs that were red with red neon. There were several of them in the San Fernando Valley.

[klkla]

Thirftimart was owned by the same French company that owns Smart & Final. They sold the better stores to Safeway in the early 80"s (the only one I know of that is still open is the Pavilions in West Hills although I am sure there are others) so they could focus on Smart & Final, which ended up being a good move because they are very successful now.

[runchadrun]

There's a history of Smart & Final at http://www.smartandfinal.com/history.html

Some of the smaller stores became Smart & Finals. An example is my local store at the corner of Devonshire and Woodley in Granada Hills. (Correction! This store was actually a Dale's, then Lucky, then Liquor Barn before becoming a Smart & Final. Thriftimart was a couple miles to the west at Chatsworth and Zelzah.)

Some of the larger stores were also sold to Lucky. You can usually tell by the shape of the sign if it was a Thriftimart since it looks like a giant T. I saw an Albertsons in Highland Park that had the T sign the other day. And the Jons in North Hollywood at the corner of Magnolia and Laurel Canyon is a former Albertsons/Lucky/Thriftimart. It was a replacement store for an old Thriftimart that on the same block (Magnolia and Bellingham) that became a pottery (and other stuff) store, the name of which escapes me but its claim to fame (infamy?) is that it was where the guy who killed Ennis Cosby worked.

[Groceteria]

I've split this thread to create a new one on specific Thriftimart locations. Please post location-specific info there now and reserve this one for general history on the chain:

http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=991

Thanks,
David

[Groceteria]

There's a history of Smart & Final at http://www.smartandfinal.com/history.html

FYI, the location search on their site also features photos of most locations, and some are very obvious former Thriftimarts:

http://www.smartandfinal.com/locations.aspx

[Jeff]

Which locations were former Tmarts?

[Groceteria]

Which locations were former Tmarts?

I have no idea on specifics, but I remember looking at the site a year or two back and seeing numerous stores with obvious remnants of big T signs, etc.

[Kenny]

Thirftimart was owned by the same French company that owns Smart & Final. They sold the better stores to Safeway in the early 80"s (the only one I know of that is still open is the Pavilions in West Hills although I am sure there are others) so they could focus on Smart & Final, which ended up being a good move because they are very successful now.

I believe that French company [Casino USA] only purchased the Smart & Final (Iris) interest of Thritimart ... the Laverty brothers Roger and Robert [and a sister or aunt] who owned T-mart and S&F Iris Co. were rumored to have had a family tiff which forced the piece mealing of the entire company :(

Safeway bought the bulk of the remaining T-Mart stores, and Lucky's picked up a hand full of the more profitable store locations [i.e. those with sales over 100K a week] ...

I can remember there being at least 43 T-mart stores around 1978, but their numbers dwindled by 1984 ... I belive the one that was in Saugus/ Newhall area was the one with the highest sales volume :)

[klkla]

I believe that French company [Casino USA] only purchased the Smart & Final (Iris) interest of Thritimart ... the Laverty brothers Roger and Robert [and a sister or aunt] who owned T-mart and S&F Iris Co. were rumored to have had a family tiff which forced the piece mealing of the entire company :(

Safeway bought the bulk of the remaining T-Mart stores, and Lucky's picked up a hand full of the more profitable store locations [i.e. those with sales over 100K a week] ...

I can remember there being at least 43 T-mart stores around 1978, but their numbers dwindled by 1984 ... I belive the one that was in Saugus/ Newhall area was the one with the highest sales volume :)

Casino invested heavily in Thiriftimart and pressured management to sell off under performing stores. Safeway bought 23 Thriftimarts in 1983 before Casino took full control. Casino then liquidated the 17 remaining stores almost immediately after taking full control in 1984.

[mike t. whittier ca]

There was a thriftimart store in anaheim, located on harbor blvd. & orangewood ave. I remember after the store closed it was vacate for many yeats until it was razed and a hotel was put there. It was close to the disneyland area.

[Kenny]

There was a thriftimart store in anaheim, located on harbor blvd. & orangewood ave. I remember after the store closed it was vacate for many yeats until it was razed and a hotel was put there. It was close to the disneyland area.

yep that was store #9 ... I worked there once :)

[OldBlueValiant]

In my Southern Californialand book there is a great color photo of a Thriftimart in '62, very interesting architecture with 4 big T's in different colors.