This is a list of all chain grocery locations my research has uncovered in Phoenix between 1925 and 1960, compiled from city directories, telephone books, and other sources. There may be some omissions due to incomplete or missing data, etc. and I welcome suggestions and corrections. Please read about my methodology for more information about what I do and do not include.

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

Notes:

• Safeway purchased the ten-year-old Pay’n Takit chain in 1928 and used the brand in other regions during the 1930s. It was Safeway’s only brand in Phoenix until 1939, when the stores were rebranded as Safeway.
• A few new stores branded Pay’n Takit opened starting in 1946. These seem to be unrelated to the Safeway-owned chain that was defunct by 1939.
• Safeway/Pay’n Takit individual locations do not appear in directories between 1938 and 1947. The 1941 locations are assembled from other sources, including newspaper ads..
• It appears that several Bayless stores were sold to Pay’n Takit (Safeway) between 1930 and 1935, although some of the addresses are not 100% certain.
• Basha’s seems to have briefly disappeared from Phoenix proper (but not the suburbs) sometime between 1953 and 1956, but returned to the city with a new store at 7th and Osborn by 1957.

Store tags:

• Alpha Beta
• Basha’s
• AJ Bayless
• El Rancho/Low Cost
• Fry’s
• Furr’s
• Lucky
• Pay’n Takit
• Piggly Wiggly
• Safeway
• Smitty’s