Portland (Oregon) Chain Grocery/Supermarket Locations, 1932-1987

This is a list of all chain grocery locations my research has uncovered in Portland between 1932 and 1987, 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:

  • There are no detailed chain store address listings in the Portland directories I was able to access before 1932. Most chains only list the office or perhaps one “main” branch.
  • Portland underwent a major street renaming and renumbering program in 1933 that affected every address in the city, when the quadrant system was implemented. Addresses in the list are the new ones (with the pre-1933 equivalents included in the notes).
  • The 1986-87 listings are likely missing a few locations that were published only in the suburban directory, most of them located from 122nd Avenue east. I hope to update those soon.
  • Fred Meyer operated a number of store types in the 1930s, not all of them specifically grocery-related. Most were based in the area of the public market house on Yamhill Street that Meyer also managed. All have been included here, however, as most ultimately became part of “traditional” stores.
  • Meyer was also a part owner of Oregon Piggly Wiggly, along with his brother, until they had a falling out sometime in the late 1920s. Interestingly, Portland was one of a relative few major cities in the western states where Safeway never owned the Piggly Wiggly stores.
  • Russ McIntyre established the Twentieth Century chain in Portland in the 1920s; this chain was one of the major founding partners in the MacMarr chain, Charles Merrill’s second major investment in the grocery business (which was merged with Safeway, his first, in the 1930s). McIntyre also went on to establish the Columbia Food Stores chain.
  • Kienow’s apparently lasted through 1999, albeit with a collection of smaller and older stores.

See also:

Store tags:

  • Albertsons
  • Fred Meyer
  • Kienow’s
  • MacMarr
  • Orgeon Groceteria
  • Piggly Wiggly
  • Safeway/Pay ‘n Takit
  • Thriftway
  • Tradewell
Updated on 22 February 2024

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