San Diego Chain Grocery/Supermarket Locations, 1925-1980

This is a list of all known chain grocery addresses in the San Diego area between 1925 and 1980 (1925 and 1971 for some suburbs), compiled from city directories, telephone books, and other sources. It is generated through a live Google Spreadsheet so it reflects the latest information I have.

View and download a copy of this location spreadsheet via Google Sheets.

Notes:

  • The 1925 directory lists almost half of the locations by corner rather than address. I have estimated and extrapolated actual addresses as closely as possible.
  • San Francisco and La Jolla are included in all the San Diego city directories. El Cajon is included through 1935 and then reappears in the county/suburban listings in 1963. The other suburbs disappear from the city directory in 1948 and reappear in the county/suburban directory in 1963. While earlier county/suburban directories may exist, I do not have access to them.
  • The Food Basket stores in San Diego were operated as a division of Lucky Stores for most of their existence and were eventually (post-1980) converted to the Lucky brand.
  • Unlike in Los Angeles, the San Diego Piggly Wiggly stores were never acquired by Safeway.

Store Tags:

  • A&P
  • Alpha Beta
  • Big Bear
  • Bradshaw
  • Food Basket
  • Heller’s
  • MacMarr
  • Mayfair
  • Piggly Wiggly
  • Safeway
  • Van’s
  • Vons
  • Waite’s
Updated on 26 November 2022

One thought on “San Diego Chain Grocery/Supermarket Locations, 1925-1980

  1. Sandy

    January 29, 2022 at 1:44am

    Great list! One small observation: I believe the A&P grocery store at 4001 W Pt Loma was around in the 1960s. I lived one block down on Groton St in 1966-67 and that’s where my mother shopped.

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