Last updated on 2 May 2025.
This is a list of all chain grocery locations my research has uncovered in Santa Monica, Venice, and West Los Angeles between 1927 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.
Notes
- The 1927 Vons location was part of the first Vons chain, which was sold to Safeway in the late 1920s.
- Many of the Santa Monica locations were in the old town of Ocean Park, which is now part of Santa Monica.
- West LA locations were associated with a number of municipalities but are all part of LA proper now.
Location list
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- 208 26th St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1947-48: Brentwood
- 1213 3rd St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1954: Ralphs
- 1960: Ralphs
- 1218 3rd St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: A&P
- 1947-48: A&P
- 1422 3rd St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 1933: A&P
- 1436 3rd St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Piggly Wiggly
- 1933: Piggly Wiggly
- 1446 3rd St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Fitzsimmons
- 1445 4th St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Safeway
- 802 7th St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 1954: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- 1515 7th St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1954: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- 204 Bicknell st, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Bay Cities Mercantile
- 420 Broadway, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 1947-48: Roberts Public Markets
- 1954: Thriftimart
- 1960: Thriftimart
- 209 Colorado Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- 402 Colorado Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1954: Mayfair
- 1960: Mayfair
- 2654 Main St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 1954: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- 2709 Main St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Bay Cities Mercantile
- 1933: Safeway
- 2716 Main St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 1947-48: Roberts Public Markets
- 2905 Main St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Young’s
- 2924 Main St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1954: Ralphs
- 1960: Ralphs
- Notes: May not be part of chain.
- 2938 Main St, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Safeway
- 1940: Safeway
- 704 Montana Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 1311 Montana Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 1404 Montana Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Piggly Wiggly
- 1940: Safeway
- 1405 Montana Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 1425 Montana Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 1954: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- 1627 Montana Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
- 1919 Olympic Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1954: El Rancho
- 1960: El Rancho
- 2801 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 1954: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- 113 Pier Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
- 115 Pier Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 139 Pier Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Piggly Wiggly
- 1933: Piggly Wiggly
- 167 Pier Av, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Bay Cities Mercantile
- 31 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Young’s
- 229 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Bay Cities Mercantile
- 415 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Daley’s
- 930 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Piggly Wiggly
- 1625 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
- 1811 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 2901 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 2905 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 1933: Safeway
- 1118 Washington Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Bay Cities Mercantile
- 1933: Piggly Wiggly
- 2107 Westwood Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Safeway
- 1940: Safeway
- 300 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Ralphs
- 1947-48: Ralphs
- 1954: Ralphs
- 1960: Ralphs
- 312 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 331 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Safeway
- 906 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
- 1025 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1303 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Vons
- 1947-48: Vons
- 1954: Vons
- 1960: Vons
- Notes: 1305 (1954).
- 1429 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Daley’s
- 1505 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 1947-48: Roberts Public Markets
- 1954: Roberts Public Markets
- 1960: Roberts Public Markets
- 1915 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 2115 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
- 2402 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 2828 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1954: A&P
- 1960: A&P
- 3003 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Safeway
- 11628 San Vicente Blvd, Beverly Hills | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 1933: Safeway
- 1940: Philip Kaplan
- 1947-48: Brentwood
- 11662 San Vicente Blvd, Beverly Hills | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 1954: Safeway
- 1960: Safeway
- Notes: 11666 (1948).
- 11841 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 1947-48: Roberts Public Markets
- 1954: Food King
- 1960: Food King
- 11907 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 1704 Lincoln Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Safeway
- 1803 Lincoln Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
- 2572 Lincoln Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- 27 Market St, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Piggly Wiggly
- 85 Market St, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 705 Venice Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 1933: Safeway
- 1525 Venice Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Daley’s
- 1933: Continental
- 1101 Washington Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- Notes: Renumbered. Probably West Washington Blvd between Abbott Kinney and Lincoln.
- 1108 Washington Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Vons
- 1933: Safeway
- Notes: Renumbered. Probably West Washington Blvd between Abbott Kinney and Lincoln.
- 1122 Washington Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Piggly Wiggly
- Notes: Renumbered. Probably West Washington Blvd between Abbott Kinney and Lincoln.
- 1338 Washington Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Roberts Public Markets
- Notes: Renumbered. Probably West Washington Blvd between Abbott Kinney and Lincoln.
- 1346 Washington Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Roberts Public Markets
- Notes: Renumbered. Probably West Washington Blvd between Abbott Kinney and Lincoln.
- 1360 Washington Blvd, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1933: A&P
- Notes: Renumbered. Probably West Washington Blvd between Abbott Kinney and Lincoln.
- 31 Windward Av, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Daley’s
- 37 Windward Av, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Continental
- 75 Windward Av, Venice | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Bay Cities Mercantile
- 1933: Safeway
- 11630 Barrington Ct, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1947-48: Thriftimart
- 1954: Thriftimart
- 1960: Thriftimart
- 1521 Barry Av, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1927: HB Eddins
- 10561 Pico Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 10571 Pico Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
- 1940: Van’s
- 10583 Pico Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Piggly Wiggly
- 1940: Safeway
- 2255 Pontius Av, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1927: HB Eddins
- 11268 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Van’s
- 11315 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1933: A&P
- 11320 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Piggly Wiggly
- 1933: Piggly Wiggly
- 11321 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Bay Cities Mercantile
- 11339 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Safeway
- 11359 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Safeway
- 11407 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 11526 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Roberts Public Markets
- 1947-48: Roberts Public Markets
- 11620 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1927: Daley’s
- 11900 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Safeway
- 1947-48: Safeway
- 12210 Santa Monica Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1947-48: Roberts Public Markets
- 1912 Westwood Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1940: Philip Kaplan
- 11266 Wilshire Blvd, West Los Angeles | Google Maps Link
- 1933: Van’s
What about market at 2627 Lincoln blvd (at Ocean Park Blvd.) Most recently it was Gelsons, Redeveloped, soon to be condos or apartments. Was Lucky’s, Shoppers Market and ? Cannot find Ocean Park (before it was Santa Monica) (?) in your list. Not in SM list either. There was a market at that location since 1940. Name?
The Ocean Park stores are listed under their current Santa Monica addresses, as I do with all stores in all cities (see the “methodology” link on the page).
I have no idea about the Gelson’s location; it does not show up in any of my source material. Even so, if it was not a chain during my study period, I wouldn’t have included it. As I have noted several places on the site, there are basically no reliable and consistent chain location lists for LA county like there are for most of the other 300 or so cities I have researched. The same holds true for NYC, Chicago, and Philadelphia. Any listings for these cities will probably always be incomplete.
A quick scan of the LA Times archives shows that the store on Lincoln was a Shoppers Market (as you say) as of late 1959, which may be why it did not make its way into the 1960 directory listings. That’s the earliest reference I can find to a store at that address. In fact, I can’t find any evidence from any source that there was anything at that location other than a couple of houses prior to the Shoppers Market.
7th and Montana Ave. Drug King was a Safeway Market about 1950… address on 7th Street in Santa Monica.
Also at the same time: There was a market on Montana at 7th, (next to SE corner drug store, McCarthy’s.). Market was Kingsbury’s.
Also Montana Market was 900 block next to variety store Bob White’s) on NW corner, Montana and 10th
Also: Lillywhite’s Market near alley. North side Montana, between Euclid and 14 th.
Also: Fireside Market, next to Fireside Liquor, north side of Montana at 15th…. (Looks like it was once a Safeway?)
Also Baer’s Market north side Montana Ave at 17th Street.
Also Henry’s Market, south side Montana Ave at 22nd. St
All circa 1950.
The Safeway you mention is already on the list at 802 7th St as is the one at 15th and Montana (1427 Montana). The other stores would not have been listed as I only research chains, not one-offs or independents, but thanks for the information.