This is a list of all chain grocery locations my research has uncovered in Anchorage between 1948 and 2018, compiled from city directories, telephone books, and other sources. This list is generated through a live Google Spreadsheet so it reflects the latest information I have.
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Notes:
- Following the Carrs/Safeway merger in 1999, stores were listed under a variety of names (Carrs, Safeway, and Carrs Safeway) and sometimes under multiple names.
- There were apparently some Piggly Wiggly locations in the 1960s, but I can find no listings in the city directories for them.
Store tags:
- Carrs
- Fred Meyer
- New Sagaya
- Piggly Wiggly (not reflected in list)
- Safeway
Updated on 7 July 2024
Lynda Kvasnikoff
September 9, 2020 at 9:31amThere was a Piggly Wiggly in Anchorage (Spenard) in 1964. My husband, 6 month old son and I were in it when the March 27th earthquake hit!!!
Cherie Snyder
July 18, 2023 at 4:42pmYou don’t have accurate information. The grocery store you have listed as Bi-Lo was S&F Foodland owned by Jack Snyder. He had 3 in anchorage as well as Fairbanks, kenai peninsula
Groceteria
July 18, 2023 at 8:08pmIf you’ll look at my methodology section above, you’ll see that I rely on city directories, newspapers, and other sources, and that I do this research on my own time and at my own expense and make it freely available for no compensation at all. I want the details to be correct and I appreciate POLITE and CORDIAL requests for corrections. If you can give me the SPECIFIC location ADDRESSES and YEARS you are concerned with, I’ll see what I can do about an update. Currently, the stores are listed as they appeared in the Anchorage city directory. As is the case for many of the 300 or so cities on the site, I’ve never set foot in Anchorage so it’s not like I’m trying to do this from memory.
That said, maybe you don’t realize how you sound when you start a comment by launching with “you don’t have accurate information” as if I have failed your final exam. It’s kind of a drag when people forget there’s an actual human being rather than a machine at the other end, and it sometimes makes me wonder why I bother. But fortunately most people aren’t like that. They recognize and acknowledge the work involved before snapping out a criticism.
Anyway, have a delightful day.
Daniel Herring
September 11, 2023 at 12:47amI didn’t see the Prairie Market listed. In the building on Old Seward and Telephone Ave where the Goodwill is today. I think it was Mt. View Sports for some time in between. Anyway, it was a ‘wholesale’ type store that sold things directly out of the crates, and in larger quantities than Carr’s and Safeway, and also a bit cheaper.
Groceteria
September 11, 2023 at 8:01amThanks for the pointer. If I can determine if it was actually a chain and when it was open, I’ll work on getting it added!
Groceteria
September 11, 2023 at 8:26amFor the record, it was a chain (it was owned by Carrs) so I will get it added ASAP. Thanks again.
Tom Johnston
December 31, 2023 at 10:40amYou can look at old grocery ads from Anchorage newspapers by going to atwoodfoundation.org and selecting Anchorage Times archives. Most of the grocers ran ads on Wednesdays. As a paperboy, you learned this stuff because the papers were always heavier.
Tom Johnston
December 31, 2023 at 10:24amJack Snyder and Foodland teamed up with Bi-Lo stores in mid 1970s.. They had Bi-Lo stores all over town. I was a night manager in 1975 who got shuffled all over town to close up at night. I’d worked my way up from cleaning the meat department, being a box boy and stocking shelves for a couple years. They had Bi-Lo stores at 9th & C, Jewel Lake by four corners (my home store), O’Malley Southcenter, Boniface & Northern Lights, Spenard & Minnesota (Foodland), Turnagain & W. Northern Lights.
One night I was working alone at Turnagain store off W. Northern Lights and had a stack of milk crates toppled and make a huge mess. Jack Snyder happened to come in and saw the milk all over and me in a panic. He took off his suit coat, grabbed a mop and helped me get everything cleaned up. Saved the day. He must have said something to my supervisors as I was given more responsibilities after that. I was18 and had keys to a couple stores and combinations to all the safes. Great job I learned a lot from.
Willy Templeton
February 7, 2024 at 2:12amI grew up in Spenard. Initially, the grocery store at Spenard and Minnesota was S & F Foodland and then later became Bi-Lo. Hewitts Drugs (after the earthquake) was in the building as was Hobby Lobby (also after the quake). When the building opened it was Center Theater—across Minnesota from Center Bowl. (My aunt lived beside Center Bowl). Prior to Hobby Lobby and Hewitts Drugs, Totem Department store was located in the building.
Dee
October 14, 2023 at 1:08pmWhat about Proctor’s? I worked at the Northern Lights location and Muldoon Rd store. I worked in the office for Orv Proctor, a truly wonderful person.
Tom Johnston
December 31, 2023 at 10:32amI think Orville Proctor also had a store on Tudor he called Christian Grocery for a short while. Proctors had a store on Jewel Lake too, it was where the bowling alley is now.
DT
February 10, 2024 at 1:44amYes, it would be nice if we can get the Tudor stores updated on this cool map. Christian Brothers, and I feel like it might have even been called Proctors for a year, and then maybe even Market Basket?? before closing down. These are old faded memories of a kid the grew up in the neighborhood, so those second two are dodgy, but I remember Christian Brothers very well. In the Athenian Village Shopping Center. Blue Fox lounge is the only surviving business in that mall that was there in the 70s
Dale
February 9, 2024 at 10:07pmDo you only list grocery market chains? Otherwise, you might wish to include the Natural Pantry. The first location I remember for it was on 36th, just west of C Street. The store had other iterations on Dimond, in the old Safeway at the University Center, and at its current location on 36th by the library.
Groceteria
February 10, 2024 at 10:44amIn response to a couple of questions, yes, I only do chains. That DOES include local chains, but I don’t include one-off independent stores. Again, there is a more detailed explanation of my methodology here: https://www.groceteria.com/about/methodology/
That said if anybody wants to do a list or a map that includes independents as well, you’re completely welcome to use the data I’ve compiled (for any of the 300-plus cities on the site) as a starting point! All I ask for is attribution as the source of the data that I contributed.
Norm Galliett
December 15, 2024 at 7:15amThere was a neighborhood store in City View at 16th and Foraker called PaynPak also called City View Market in the late 50’s/to the 70’s. The store had everything. Had the complete meat counter with butchers. Also had the most wonderful checkout lady Kay who always took care of everything with a wonderful, positive demeanor!
Viki Snow
March 26, 2025 at 12:28amPayn pak or Pay’n Save? That’s what I remember… I was 12 when my family moved to New Zealand. However, I went to Rogers Park Elementary for Kindergarten – 3rd grade because we lived on Purdue st. Then we moved to Crescent Ave on the other side of the highway and transferred to Lake Otis Elementary for 4th and 5th grade. Then after the election and campaign, our parents sent us to Northern Lights Elementary for 6th grade. I also remember the Prairie Market Grocery store and Fred Meyers and Safeways. My brother and sister and I delivered newspapers… Those were the days, my friends….. Simple…
Viki Snow
March 26, 2025 at 12:39amPayn pak or Pay’n Save? That’s what I remember… However, I went to Rogers Park Elementary for Kindergarten – 3rd grade Then we moved to the other side of the highway and transferred to Lake Otis Elementary for 4th and 5th grade. Then after the election and campaign, our parents sent me to Northern Lights Elementary for 6th grade. I also remember the Prairie Market Grocery store and Fred Meyers and Safeways. My brother and sister and I delivered newspapers… Those were the days, my friends….. Simple…