This is a list of all chain grocery locations my research has uncovered in Long Beach between 1925 and 1969, 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.
Long Beach is fascinating and was apparently quite the competitive environment over the years. For years one of California’s five largest cities (and still number seven), it has been served by such regional and national chains as Safeway, A&P. Thriftimart, Boys, Mayfair, Alpha Beta, Food Fair, Ralphs, and Lucky, not to mention local chains like McCoy’s and Iowa Pork. The city has also seen a number of chain re-uses of old buildings. It’s very representative of SoCal’s retail environment.
View and download a copy of this location spreadsheet via Google Sheets.
Store tags:
- A&P
- Albertsons
- Alpha Beta
- Carpenter’s
- Cole’s
- Dollar
- Food Fair
- Iowa Pork
- Jim Dandy
- Lucky
- McCoy’s
- McDaniels
- Pay’n Takit
- Piggly Wiggly
- Ralphs
- Safeway
- Smart & Final
- Smith’s
- Thriftimart
- Vons
James Rarmsey
June 24, 2019 at 5:26amA walk down History Lane. I lived in the Los Altos area just east of Clark Ave and remember McDaniel’s. It was a good store, though small. It was replaced by Cole’s sometime in the 60s. This area now has a Von’s. This chain is very good in my book. Oh, how I miss the Long Beach of yesteryear.
Luana Livingston
February 1, 2024 at 8:13pmI’m looking for a small market that my mom and step dad had inside the market. It was owned by an Asian couple and there son w worked there as well. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. This was in the early 70’s
Dwheeler
March 29, 2021 at 4:52pmMy family owned Four Jolley Markets from 1923 -1955 in Long Beach. My father, Glenn Dallin, owned three in the 1940s to he sold in 1955. The big one, 1/2 block long, was at 601 Broadway and had ice cream parlor, grocery, meat, vegetables and special events every Saturday. Would love to her from anyone who shopped there or knew him dwheeler@allwest.net
Robin
May 27, 2024 at 12:12amCole’s Market? I know one location was in Lakewood, California and another in maybe Garden Grove perhaps? My mom shopped there when I was very little. 1960’s?
Jack
June 16, 2024 at 1:29amThere were plenty of Cole’s around. I have subscription to newspaper archive and I found at the bottom of a Cole’s ad on June 19th 1970 they list several locations. 4700 Los Coyotes Diagonal, 5548 Woodruff (Dutch Village), 6191 Atlantic Ave., 1131 E Wardlow, 5690 E 2nd St., 11716 Long Beach Blvd., 6501 E. Spring St., 1000 E. 4th St., plus Downey, Norwalk, Garden Grove, Artesia, and Lynwood.