Unusual supermarkets in La Canada Flintridge and Glendale
Posted: 06 Feb 2009 18:35
Yesterday, I visited 3 stores in La Canada Flintridge/Glendale area. These all have rather odd features not usually exhibited by their sister stores within the same chains.
- Vons #143 on Foothill Blvd in LCF between the Glendale Freeway (State Route 2) and the Foothill Freeway (I-210). This store, opened in the late 1970's along with the rest of the shopping center, retained the Bill Davilla-era Red & White decor. It reminded me of my neighborhood store (Walnut) in the early 1990's before the remodel <liquor on left, produce on right>. Even the shopping carts date back to the 1980's. The only Safeway-esque features include store branded merchandise, some small signages, and employee uniforms. The rather small meat department reminds me of the Metropole store in Avalon (Catalina, the island's only major supermarket).
- Ralphs #632 on Glendale Ave and Verdugo Road, south of Glendale Community College in Glendale. This store, a former Alpha Beta, is unusual in three ways: first, the interior shape is an oddly shaped diamond because the land is a v-shaped. Second, it has a village type decor package that is like a hybrid between the decor packages of Albertsons (Quality Guaranteed decor) and Ralphs Fresh Fare. Third, the grocery store is actually the second floor of an existing almost subterranean building - either a small parking garage or street level apartments. Note that at that corner, Glendale Ave has a higher elevation than Verdugo Road.
-Ralphs Fresh Fare #55, Foothill and Gould in LCF. This store has always been a Ralphs. Yes it has the fresh fare feeling but not as upscale as #609 (former Skaggs Alpha Beta) in the Canyon Crest section of Riverside, rather it is closer to being a regular Ralphs store. I think it is a hybrid between an upscale FF and a regular Ralphs. The decor package is village style and the only thing I thought was "upscale" was the Boars Head products and some gourmet deli items at the Service Deli.
luckysaver
- Vons #143 on Foothill Blvd in LCF between the Glendale Freeway (State Route 2) and the Foothill Freeway (I-210). This store, opened in the late 1970's along with the rest of the shopping center, retained the Bill Davilla-era Red & White decor. It reminded me of my neighborhood store (Walnut) in the early 1990's before the remodel <liquor on left, produce on right>. Even the shopping carts date back to the 1980's. The only Safeway-esque features include store branded merchandise, some small signages, and employee uniforms. The rather small meat department reminds me of the Metropole store in Avalon (Catalina, the island's only major supermarket).
- Ralphs #632 on Glendale Ave and Verdugo Road, south of Glendale Community College in Glendale. This store, a former Alpha Beta, is unusual in three ways: first, the interior shape is an oddly shaped diamond because the land is a v-shaped. Second, it has a village type decor package that is like a hybrid between the decor packages of Albertsons (Quality Guaranteed decor) and Ralphs Fresh Fare. Third, the grocery store is actually the second floor of an existing almost subterranean building - either a small parking garage or street level apartments. Note that at that corner, Glendale Ave has a higher elevation than Verdugo Road.
-Ralphs Fresh Fare #55, Foothill and Gould in LCF. This store has always been a Ralphs. Yes it has the fresh fare feeling but not as upscale as #609 (former Skaggs Alpha Beta) in the Canyon Crest section of Riverside, rather it is closer to being a regular Ralphs store. I think it is a hybrid between an upscale FF and a regular Ralphs. The decor package is village style and the only thing I thought was "upscale" was the Boars Head products and some gourmet deli items at the Service Deli.
luckysaver