The 1940s
New prototype
At the dawn of the 1940s, Safeway was operating hundreds of older units in taxpayer strips or on the first floors of apartment or commercial buildings, most of which were a fraction of the size of the new supermarkets that were opening around the country. Some of which dated from the 1920s self-service era and had originally operated under any number of other brands. While freestanding stores with parking lots had opened as early as the 1920s, this was not necessarily the norm, particularly in urban areas.
The 14 August 1941 Spokane Chronicle included an advertisement for Safeway’s new stores in the area. The average size had swelled to six thousand square feet for a new prototype that was beginning to be used nationwide. While the design was still rather urban and pedestrian-focused, with entrances directly from the sidewalk, many of these new stores also featured side parking lots. There were some regional variations, with a brick facade used more often on the East Coast. Most also featured Safeway’s red-on-yellow signage. Some also contained showers for employees. Considered “supermarkets” even though they were relatively small by the standards of some other chains and independents, the stores featured a full line of meats and produce.
Eastern expansion
In 1940, Safeway’s 2671 stores were still primarily located west of the Mississippi River, with only one major Eastern outpost in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia area. In January, 1941, the DC stores, most of which had operated under the Sanitary and Piggly Wiggly banners, adopted the Safeway nameplate, ending the last of Safeway’s multiple brands following the mergers of the 1930s. Later that year, newspaper ads carried the tagline “Safeway: Your neighborhood sanitary store.”
The DC expansion was not to be the extent of Safeway’s Eastern strategy, however. In June, 1941, Safeway purchased 498 Daniel Reeves stores, 215 of which were in New York City. This was followed four months later by the acquisition of the National Grocery Co. of New Jersey, which added eighty-four self-service stores to the growing Safeway chain and resulted in the closing of “between 325 and 350 one-man stores” belonging to National. Almost overnight Safeway was a major presence in the nation’s largest metropolitan area.
Consolidation and growth
Wartime shortages and the consolidation of stores of different formats (and different lineage) combined to decrease Safeway’s store count to 2202 in 1949 despite the chain’s significantly larger geographic footprint—and its nearly threefold increase in sales during the period. The locational shift in Safeway’s home turf of San Francisco is illustrative: In 1940, following the mergers and acquisitions of the 1930s, there were 123 Safeway locations in San Francisco This total was reduced to 43 by the end of World War II and to 35 by the beginning of the 1950s. The casualties included many older Safeway locations as well as nearly all of the former Piggly Wiggly, Public, and Mutual/MacMarr stores. As the 1940s ended, none of the city’s original 1920s Skaggs or Safeway locations remained in operation, although one 1928 Piggly Wiggly on Castro Street still bore the Safeway name.
The Skaggs era ends
Safeway lost a tie with its origins in 1941 as Marion B. Skaggs, who had retired from active operations several years prior, also gave up his position as Chairman of the Board. Skaggs would live another thirty-five years, dying in 1976, and members of his family would be instrumental in the development of other food and drug chains around the country.
I am with the Platte County Nebraska Historical Society and am trying to find the date when our Safeway store in Columbus Nebraska had a major fire in the 1940’s or early 1950’s. If you are able to find the date so that I could go through the old newspapers I would appreciate it. There was also a fire in the mid 1960’s of which is also of a secondary interest. Thank you for your assistance.
Found an old paper clipping about my Dad worked at Safeway store as a butcher. He became a manager before the store was closed at Marion, KS. Am trying to find out when was it closed (before or after I was born in 1940). Thanks!
Trying to find out which stores sold the Snowy Peak brand of sodas. Thanks in advance.
Can anyone tell me when the Safeway in Fraser, CO was built?
I worked at the safeway store #0174, started when they had their grand opening. trying to find out if it was in 1963 or 1964.
Linda Blackford
What was the name Of the frozen poor boys that came two in a box , sold in the 70s. Thank You
My grandfather was the manager when they built the first safeway in Julesburg Colorado. I have a picture of it taken in 1936 when it opened.
Such cool history!!!
Was there a Continental Market in Fig Gargen Village Fresno Ca?
Hello, does anyone have photos of the former small Safeway across from Tower Theater in Sacramento, 16th & Broadway, we own that property and with redevelopment, looking to frame some history. Tower Records opened there in the 60s, so it was prior to that. Thank you. Jon Gianulias
I worked for San Mateo Co (CA) & have an photo from their archives of an old Safeway store (with a Sharkey’s Cab hut next to it) from the 1950s. But I NEED to find its location so I can include in a historical article I’m writing for the County’s history museum. But I can’t find anything on-line about location of original Safeway stores in SMCo. Happy to
Email a copy of the pic.
Uh, quite literally about 85% of this site consists of historical store location lists from around the country, including San Mateo County:
https://www.groceteria.com/place/california/san-mateo-county/
Can anyone tell me how to find out when the Washington, D.C. Safeway at 1747 Columbia Road NW became a Safeway store? In 1964, as a young bride whose husband was stationed in D.C., we lived in an old sandstone building a block over from Columbia Road, and I did my shopping at a grocery located in a string of small stores on Columbia. I don’t remember if it was Safeway at the time, but I’m trying to find the old building we lived in, a 4-story corner sandstone bldg with a broad set of concrete steps (lots, several dozen) up to the entrance. On Sundays, I know we rounded the corner onto Columbia and walked some distance straight down to National Baptist Memorial Church–passing what I believe was the current Safeway Store.
Grateful for any feedback,
Sherry
I can narrow it down to sometime between 1948 and 1951.
DC stores list: https://www.groceteria.com/place/washington-dc/chain-supermarkets-in-washington-dc-1925-1975/
Thanks so much. That would indicate it was the grocery store where we shopped, getting me closer to where that old apartment building must have been. It probably got demolished; yet there are still so many early 1900s buildings–I have to wonder.
RICHARD PIERCE navyus1940@gmail.com BORN IN SAN FRANCISCO 1940 CAME BACK FROM THE NAVY 1966 WORK FOR SAFWAY FROM 1963 TO 1971 meat cutter meat mgr. store mgr. MOVE TO NC JAMESTOWN WORK FOR BIG BEAR FOOD WORLD HATTIS TEETER. SEE YOU JAN 18
I was a Safeway employee in Kern County, CA from 1970 to 1979. I was at Niles St, Brundage Ln and Chester Ave in Bakersfield; and Central Valley Hwy and Shater Ave in Shafter. All three are still standing. My father was a store manager in various places in SoCal and my grandfather was retail operations manager for SoCal.
We had a Safeway here in Richmond, Virginia it is now a Dollar General store. They used to put out a magazine of the store and one day my kids and I were at the park and they were shooting some scenes with a lady that dressed up like a clown she worked for Safeway well they wanted my kids to be on the front of the magazine with the lady and I allowed it but, only the boys were willing my daughter was to little and did not want to she cried. I still have that magazine to this day.
I’m from Council Bluffs, Iowa. Prolific Council Bluffs architect J. Chris Jensen designed over 700 buildings in his career. Most were in and around Council Bluffs. However, he also designed over 300 Safeway stores throughout the country. You can see his iconic designs in photos of those buildings, including the one shown above. Many of the old Safeway stores buildings still exist. One is at 52nd and Leavenworth in Omaha, NE and another is in my hometown of Fremont, NE at 333 E. 6th Street. I’m doing additional research on Jensen, so would be interested in getting photos of any Jensen designed Safeway store buildings that are still standing. This is a link to a video presentation created by the Historical Society of Pottawattamie County that highlights the life of J Chris Jensen. It includes his involvement in the design of over 300 Safeway stores. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKAIxNKNih8
Aloha… I’m an old timer born & raised in Hawaii. There was no Safeway in Enchanted Lake when my husband & I & kids moved here in April 1964. However I was present at the Grand Opening of the newly built Safeway still at its same location presently. I know it had to be either 1965 or 1966.. Does anyone know for Certain? We love Safeway and have shopped there most since I was 25 (I’m now 85…). You do the math ☺️.. so anyone out there have a clue? The very first date that Enchanted Lake store opened for customers.??
They do have the most polite & helpful employees. Mahalo
Greetings!
You might find this page helpful: https://www.groceteria.com/place/us-hawaii/
Hello! I’m looking to find out if Joe Albertson’s territory as a district manager for Safeway included stores in Wyoming. My great-grandfather, William Cameron, managed a Wyoming Safeway before Joe Albertson started Albertsons. Rumor has it that Joe Albertson approached my great-granddad about partnering up on the new store, but Grandpa Cameron turned him down because he thought it was too risky. It’s a fun story. I try not to think too much about how different my life would be now had he taken Joe Albertson up on his proposal. 🙂