Updated 7 January 2026 (Originally published 7 January 2026)
This is a list of all chain grocery locations my research has uncovered in the Mesa/Tempe/Chandler area between 1930 and 1982, 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.
Notes:
- I feel like some locations in the 1935-1950 range may be missing. I don’t 100% trust the directories, but I could not find confirmation in the newspapers.
Location list
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- 1076 N Arizona Av, Chandler | Google Maps Link
- 1970: AJ Bayless
- 1976: AJ Bayless
- 160 S Arizona Av, Chandler | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Wright, Lo & Sons
- 1946-47: Wright’s
- 1952: Wright’s
- 1955: Wright’s
- 1958: Wright’s
- 1960: Wright’s
- 1963: Wright’s
- 1965: Wright’s
- 1970: Wright’s
- Notes: Below Boston (1940).
- 15 S Arizona Pl, Chandler | Google Maps Link
- 1955: Basha’s
- 1958: Basha’s
- 1960: Basha’s
- 1963: Basha’s
- 1965: Basha’s
- 1970: Basha’s
- 1976: Basha’s
- 2 E Boston St, Chandler | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Piggly Wiggly
- 1940: Safeway
- 99 E Boston St, Chandler | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Basha’s
- 1946-47: Basha’s?
- 1952: Basha’s
- Notes: South side beyond S Arizona (1940).
- 10 S San Marcos Pl, Chandler | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Pay’n Takit
- 2726 S Alma School Rd, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: AJ Bayless
- 5610 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1963: Wright’s
- 1965: Wright’s
- 1970: Wright’s?
- 1976: Wright’s
- Notes: E Apache Tr (pre-1976).
- 1945 W Baseline Rd, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Alpha Beta
- 1982-83: Alpha Beta
- 422 E Broadway Rd, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1955: Wright’s
- 1958: Wright’s
- 1960: Wright’s
- 1963: Wright’s
- 1965: Wright’s
- 1970: Wright’s
- 1976: Wright’s
- Notes: 424 (1958). Was 4th Av (pre-1970).
- 146 S Country Club Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1952: Safeway
- 1955: Safeway
- 1958: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- 1963: Safeway
- Notes: 150 (1950).
- 450 S Country Club Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Smitty’s Big Town
- 1982-83: Smitty’s Big Town
- 1120 S Country Club Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Alpha Beta
- 1306 S Country Club Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Fry’s
- 1982-83: Fry’s
- 66 S Dobson Rd, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Fed Mart
- 1133 S Dobson Rd, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: AJ Bayless
- 1982-83: AJ Bayless
- 1927 N Gilbert Rd, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Basha’s
- 1982-83: Basha’s
- Notes: LIsted as 2029 E McKelips Rd (1976).
- 1244 S Gilbert Rd, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Fry’s
- 314 S Macdonald St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1952: Wright’s
- 1955: Wright’s
- Notes: 316 (1952).
- 827 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1965: Safeway
- 1970: Safeway
- 1976: Safeway
- 1135 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1958: AJ Bayless
- 1960: AJ Bayless
- 1963: AJ Bayless
- 1965: AJ Bayless
- 1970: AJ Bayless
- 1342 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1963: Basha’s
- 1965: Basha’s
- 1970: Basha’s
- 1976: Basha’s
- 1982-83: Basha’s
- 1422 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1965: El Rancho
- 1970: El Rancho
- 1976: Low Cost Discount Center
- 1982-83: Low Cost Discount Center
- 1940 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Alpha Beta
- 1982-83: Alpha Beta
- 2850 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Lucky
- 4440 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Smitty’s
- 1982-83: Smitty’s
- 6223 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Fry’s
- 6839 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: AJ Bayless
- 7330 E Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Alpha Beta
- 10 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 35 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Pay’n Takit
- 1940: Safeway
- Notes: 37 (1940, Drew Bldg).
- 101 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Piggly Wiggly
- 111 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1930: MacMarr
- 1940: Wright, Lo & Sons
- 1946-47: Wright’s
- 1952: Wright’s
- 142 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Clarence Saunders
- 144 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Basha’s
- 1946-47: Basha’s
- Notes: 142-144 (1946).
- 147 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Piggly Wiggly
- 208 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Pay’n Takit
- 703 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1952: Wright’s
- 1955: Wright’s
- 1958: Wright’s
- 1018 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1958: El Rancho
- 1960: El Rancho
- 1963: El Rancho
- 1965: El Rancho
- 1970: El Rancho
- 1828 W Main St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1970: Basha’s
- 1976: Basha’s
- 1982-83: Basha’s
- 142 W Pepper Pl, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1958: Basha’s
- 1960: Basha’s
- 43 N Robson St, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1960: Basha’s
- 1963: Basha’s
- 1965: Basha’s
- 1970: Basha’s
- 1976: Basha’s
- Notes: 35 (1960).
- 2001 N Stapley Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Basha’s
- Notes: End (1976). Approximate number.
- 316 E University Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1970: Lucky
- 1976: Lucky
- 1982-83: Lucky
- 1900 E University Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Fry’s
- 1982-83: Fry’s
- 1250 W University Dr, Mesa | Google Maps Link
- 1963: AJ Bayless
- 1965: AJ Bayless
- 1970: AJ Bayless
- 1976: AJ Bayless
- 1982-83: AJ Bayless
- Notes: Was W 4th St (pre-1965).
- 118 E 5th St, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1952: Safeway
- 1955: Safeway
- 1958: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- 1963: Safeway
- 1090 W 5th St, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1965: Wright’s
- 1970: Wright’s
- 1338 Apache Blvd, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1958: AJ Bayless
- 1960: AJ Bayless
- 1963: AJ Bayless
- 1965: AJ Bayless
- 1970: AJ Bayless
- 1976: AJ Bayless
- 1982-83: AJ Bayless
- 917 E Broadway Rd, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1970: Lucky
- 1976: Lucky
- 1982-83: Lucky
- 920 E Broadway Rd, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1970: Safeway
- 1976: Safeway
- 1982-83: Safeway
- Notes: 926 (1976 on).
- 1860 W Broadway Rd, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Safeway
- 3135 S McClintock Dr, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Fry’s
- 1982-83: Fry’s
- Notes: 3115 (1982).
- 3232 S Mill Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Smitty’s
- 1982-83: Smitty’s
- 500 Mill Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1930: MacMarr
- 730 Mill Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1930: Pay’n Takit
- 1940: Safeway
- 1946-47: Safeway
- Notes: Mill at 8th (1940). No number (1946).
- 929 Mill Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1958: El Rancho
- 1960: El Rancho
- 1963: El Rancho
- 1965: El Rancho
- 1970: El Rancho
- 1976: El Rancho
- 1982-83: Low Cost Discount Center
- Notes: Tempe Center.
- 2750 S Priest Dr, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Safeway
- 1845 N Scottsdale Rd, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Alpha Beta
- 1122 Scottsdale Rd, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1965: Fry’s
- 1970: Fry’s
- 1976: Fry’s
- 75 E Southern Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1965: AJ Bayless
- 1970: AJ Bayless
- 1976: AJ Bayless
- 450 E Southern Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Basha’s
- 1706 E Southern Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1982-83: Safeway
- 1717 E Southern Av, Tempe | Google Maps Link
- 1976: Basha’s
- 1982-83: Basha’s