Groceteria.com

I came across a brief 1971 article that Thriftimart was going to open a 26,000 sq ft store inside a new Montgomery Wards store in Fresno. According to the article, "The Thriftimart will be in the front section of the Ward store, with a lobby connecting the two facilities and a pickup area in front where customers my have purchases loaded into their cars."

I don't have a street address but apparently the Wards became a Target. There's a Target at 5740 N. Blackstone with a Smart & Final that cuts into the Target space, which would make sense since Thriftimart owned Smart & Final and some Thrifitmarts became S&F stores.

This is the first I've heard of a grocery store inside a Wards. Did this happen anywhere else?

Interesting.

Looking at a live local view, you can see the Smart and Final today.

I'm thinking of all the Montgomery Ward stores around here, and none had a Smart And Final next to them to my knowledge.

Yes, the Wards in Fresno did become a Target. That Smart & Final store has been there since the mid 70's, so it would stand to reason that they just converted it to S&F from Thriftimart. (The sign said "Smart & Final Iris Co." for years until the center was remodeled a few years before Wards closed)