San Mateo discount stores.
Posted: 20 Sep 2006 09:45
Does anyone know where the Unimart and GEM were located? Is it where the current Kmart building is? Was the Handyman hardware store located where Circuit City is today?
I don't know where GEM was located, but I think Unimart was located where the Crossroads office buildings are now, near where S. Grant st. and 19th ave. intersect, and where highway 92 runs overhead. This Unimart went out of business pretty early (as in 1969), and the Payless Drug store down the street (that had opened in November 1968, and is still there as Rite Aid at 666 Concar Dr.) ran ads inviting former shoppers of Unimart to try Payless instead. The Kmart at 1700 S. Deleware was originally a Montgomery Ward from 1975. When Montgomery Ward moved to Fashion Island mall in 1981, the upper floor became offices. There was also a discount store called
USave at 49 42nd ave. that became a Petrini's market, and is currently a Mollie Stone's. There was also Shopper's world on El Camino Real near 37th ave. where Payless Shoe Source and a car audio store are now. The Handyman's was located in the building where Circuit City and TJ Maxx are now.