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Just noticed a beauty of an old Safeway site. It is 1420 Ramsey, Banning CA. The BACK of the store faces the 10 freeway.

The site is currently an antique store. Yet, across the top of the building...are mesh wire squares...that you can still see S A F E W A Y spelled out! Store is not a Marina-style, it has a flat top/front.

Just a bit west on Ramsey, is obviously an older Safeway...as the street sign is the old Safeway-shaped sign. The center also has a RiteAid (former Thrifty...as old oval sign is there), Big Lots and auto supply store. Believe the Safeway is now a "ranch" market.

I assume that this second Safeway store was a replacement for the first. Any idea when this took place? The first store is probably from the 50s or 60s.

Did this second Safeway ever become a VONS?

There's a post card that often comes up for auction on eBay that shows an older (1940s) store in Banning:

The second store did become a Vons for a very short while. My recollection is that it closed in the early 90's, when the new Albertsons, and Food 4 Less opened down off Highland Springs and the 10.

And the Safeway / Vons was where the Autozone and Goodwill store is. You can see the arched roof (almost marina like in nature!) in the Live Local shot.

The Ranch Market is in an old TG&Y Store site, and next door (where Big Lots is) used to be a Sears Catalog or outlet store, I cant remember.

Also, the old 1940's Safeway store is still there. I dont know what it is today, but you can see it on Live Local here:

1940's Safeway, across from the old hotel. Look at postcard to match up

thanks so much to our MASTERS Host & Jeff for the insight!

Wow! Look @ the old pix! So the history with Safeway in Banning is rather long. That must've been the original location...with the other two (2) as replacements over the years. I will indeed have to see the original site. thanks for the mapping Jeff!

At the third location...where Auto Zone et al are located...the old rectangular SAFEWAY sign is split (left & right)...with two stores sharing the sign space.

Sears was a licensed/franchised appliance site. I remember seeing ads in the paper...looking for someone to buy the place. Guess they never found a buyer...and it closed. Prior to the ad...never realized Sears did this. Wonder if they still do?

No prob. Also, the 2nd location was Banning City hall for a long time, until they built their new city hall. Its funny how the Safeway also migrated west....

Visited this SAFEWAY site over the weekend. It is located @ 240 Ramsey Street. It is currently a dance studio. The kind general manager told me that it has been a number of things over the years, including SEARS and a church. Wonder if tied to the SEARS mentioned above!

The dancers enter the studio through the back entrance...kind of like the back stage of a theater. This had been the loading dock! You can see where the building ended, and the loading dock area had been enclosed.

Inside, the back of the former loading dock is solely slatted wood. The manager pointed out where the PRODUCE had been stored...as it was written on the wood with a marker. Along the concrete wall of the building...it says POTATOS (no e!). I then noticed a piece of SAFEWAY tape STILL on the wood. Also, references to dates in the 50s.

I will try to go again to check out further spots...as my wife and kids were waiting in the car! What they put up with for me!

The hotel pictured above is currently a retirement home.

Jeff, you mentioned the 2nd Safeway spot had been Banning City Hall. Wonder if they had covered S A F E W A Y with B A N N I N G...as it would've fit, and therefore "preserved" the Safeway labelscar all these years!

They didn't have BANNING on it. I can't remember what was there. Something was there though.

Dean wrote:Just noticed a beauty of an old Safeway site. It is 1420 Ramsey, Banning CA. The BACK of the store faces the 10 freeway.

The site is currently an antique store. Yet, across the top of the building...are mesh wire squares...that you can still see S A F E W A Y spelled out! Store is not a Marina-style, it has a flat top/front.

Noticed the antique shop has closed @ this site.

The Thrifty/RiteAid site mentioned above has just closed.

A new RiteAid just opened down the street.

So, the last original member of the center has departed.

Dean wrote:The Thrifty/RiteAid site mentioned above has just closed.

A new RiteAid just opened down the street.

So, the last original member of the center has departed.

Rio Ranch Market mentioned above is moving to the former Thrifty/RiteAid.

Jeff wrote:The second store did become a Vons for a very short while. My recollection is that it closed in the early 90's, when the new Albertsons, and Food 4 Less opened down off Highland Springs and the 10.

And the Safeway / Vons was where the Autozone and Goodwill store is. You can see the arched roof (almost marina like in nature!) in the Live Local shot.

The Ranch Market is in an old TG&Y Store site, and next door (where Big Lots is) used to be a Sears Catalog or outlet store, I cant remember.

Also, the old 1940's Safeway store is still there. I dont know what it is today, but you can see it on Live Local here:

1940's Safeway, across from the old hotel. Look at postcard to match up

The facade of the old Safeway (mentioned above) is off. Indeed you can see the marina-like arched roof.