Last updated on 30 April 2025.
Once a large presence all over the west coast, Mayfair Markets is now reduced to one store in Hollywood, an outlet of the upscale Gelson’s chain, and this store is in the process of being converted into a standard Gelson’s.
I hope to have more history at some point.
There was a Mayfair market in Santa Ana
On Main Street with a gallery of small shops in between and a Sears
Store . The Sears store has been demolished but Mayfair building is.
I used to tide mu bike over to the Mayfair/Sears center. You could by candy at Sears candy department and “real” Coca-Cola made with syrup and carbonated water at the soda fountain in the Mayfair Market.
I recall Mayfair Market in Colton. It was next to TG&Y.
The corner of W Mill St and N Rancho Ave
62/63
This youtube video takes place inside a Mayfair market. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFoLVEtUYJ4
I was hoping to find a more detailed history of this chain. In the 1960’s my husband and most of his family worked at the Mayfair Market in Kennewick, WA, and the one in Yakima, WA. These stores are remembered as great places to work and to shop, too. Firm supporters of the Retail Clerks Union and very much involved in civic projects wherever they were located. I’d sure like to see some history on when this chain got started and how many stores there were. And also any details about how and when this well-loved grocery chain went under.
We started shopping at the Mayfair market in Hillsdale Shopping Center in the mid 1950’s. Some things that differed from todays supermarkets: 1) The meat cutting was all done in plain view of shoppers. Looking through the glass you could see carcasses hanging, and many butchers cutting, grinding, and packaging meat for the display He . If you needed a special cut you would ring a buzzer and someone would come out. 2) The choice was paper sacks or boxes. There was a huge bin full of empty boxes at the end of the checkout lane. 3) Customer service was foremost. The manager was usually seen near the checkout directing people to the fastest lane, and opening additional registers if more than one person was waiting in line. One evening the power went out in the supermarket. He immediately closed off the liquor department, which was across the aisle from the registers and then took hand cranks out of a drawer as two of the older registers were able to operate without power in an emergency.
I worked Mayfair Market, Hollywood, California, the corner of Franklin and Bronson from ’71 to ’74. Only I could track a coworker down to share wonderful memories.
Started as a box boy working just about every department and then of course was a checker.
Robbie
In the early to mid 1960’s I used to shop with my folks at the Mayfair Market on Morse Avenue and Arden Way in Sacramento. Great childhood memories of shopping with my folks at this store. Does anyone remember the giant pickle barrel? I was never fond of pickles, but I always had to stop at the pickle barrel and look at them floating in their brine. I also remember the butchers actually cutting meat in plain view of the stores customers, and offering choice cuts of meat and special orders upon request. This store must have closed at some point in the early to mid 1970’s, but I always enjoyed shopping there.
I worked in the Fresno/Madera stores. From 1977 to when they started closing…
When I was really little we would shop at the Mayfair on South Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs across the street from Magruder Chevrolet and next to what I believe was either a Payless or Thrifty drug. IIRC it closed around 1969 or so, drugstore lasted into the 70s. Buildings stayed vacant for decades until they ripped them down in the 90s, and the lot stayed vacant until a condo/townhouse complex was built on the land just a few years ago…