Search found 34 matches

by timbabcock
12 Apr 2007 16:06
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Bazar
Replies: 13
Views: 13336

Bazar Foods

One thing that Bazar Foods did that you don't see anymore is something called parcel pickup. I know the original stores did this but it was later discontinued. Your groceries were loaded into a grey plastic bin. Each bin held two bags of groceries. You were given a plastic tag which had the same num...
by timbabcock
12 Apr 2007 15:53
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Bazar
Replies: 13
Views: 13336

Earlier this year, a biography was published about Diamond, who is now 99 years old. Joe Diamond: Times in the Life of a Seattle Icon would probably have more info about Gov-Mart in it... Joe Diamond passed away a few months ago. It was interesting that no one mentioned anything about him starting ...
by timbabcock
12 Apr 2007 15:44
Forum: History: Specialty Retail Chains
Topic: A new arch-roof prototype...from a bookstore!
Replies: 7
Views: 6170

An interesting Barnes and Noble in Bellevue, WA...
That bowling alley was originally part of the SRO chain of theaters and bowlings alleys back in John Danz days. The John Danz theater was next door to the bowling alley.
by timbabcock
12 Apr 2007 15:42
Forum: History: Specialty Retail Chains
Topic: A new arch-roof prototype...from a bookstore!
Replies: 7
Views: 6170

know that the Eastgate/150th (near I-90) marina is being actively remodeled and receiving a new glass front, while the downtown Bellevue one is slated to be completely replaced across the street with an "urban" high density store. Do you have any progress update on the Eastgate store, and...
by timbabcock
12 Apr 2007 15:29
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Valu Mart in the Seattle, Tacoma, Everett area
Replies: 9
Views: 12234

A interesting fact about the former White Front/Valu-Mart/Leslies in Burien is that for many years after becoming Fred Meyer, it served as the Northern Region Offices for Fred Meyer After it left the Burien location it was moved to the Midway Store Fomerly Valu-Mart/Leslies. Once the store was torn...
by timbabcock
04 Apr 2007 19:15
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Valu Mart in the Seattle, Tacoma, Everett area
Replies: 9
Views: 12234

Valu Mart

One thing that is interesting is even though Valu Mart/Leslies hasn't been around for over thirty years they have owned most of the properties of their former locations until within the last few years. It was becomming a problem for Fred Meyer because they wanted to demolish the former stores and bu...
by timbabcock
21 Mar 2007 20:40
Forum: History: Specialty Retail Chains
Topic: 76 gas station balls are going away
Replies: 19
Views: 17047

ConocoPhillips is removing the iconic 76 balls from their gas stations, replacing them with boring flat signs. There was an article on this in The Seattle Times not too long ago. It should be on the Save the Ball website as well. Conco-Phillips feels that the orange color doesn't fit into the color...
by timbabcock
21 Mar 2007 10:04
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Valu Mart in the Seattle, Tacoma, Everett area
Replies: 9
Views: 12234

Valu Mart in the Seattle, Tacoma, Everett area

I know this name gets used quite a bit for grocery stores in different parts of the country but this one covers the Seattle based discount store chain that carried groceries and variety goods from the 50s, 60s and 70s. They started as a membership store like Gov't Mart did and eliminated that requir...
by timbabcock
21 Mar 2007 00:28
Forum: History: USA Northwest/Rockies/Alaska
Topic: Northwest Safeways
Replies: 67
Views: 55899

Safeway on NE 4th in Bellevue

It was just announced about a month ago that Bellevue Square owner Kemper Freeman is planning on tearing down the Safeway and Bartell Drugs and will use the site for another addition to Lincoln Square. Most of it will be a parking garage to replace the structure in front of JC Penneys that will be t...
by timbabcock
20 Mar 2007 20:06
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Albertsons Logos Through The Years
Replies: 24
Views: 15428

It read on the top, "Albertson's Food Center." I do not know how many had existed like that What was really odd about the Pierce County Albertson's prior to 1976 is how different they were compared to the King County locations. Even when the stores were changed to the arch format (similar...
by timbabcock
20 Mar 2007 19:49
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: White Front Stores
Replies: 53
Views: 65571

The Fred Meyer at 72nd and Pacific in Tacoma and the one at 19th and Stevens
I stand corrected on that one. I could have sworn they had gray covering like the Burien store had on the 19th and Stevens location.
by timbabcock
20 Mar 2007 19:42
Forum: History: Drugstore Chains
Topic: Thrifty Drug in the Northwest
Replies: 48
Views: 51173

Gov Mart, House of Values, and Payless

In 1973 Payless came into the area by acquiring both Gov Mart and House of Values at the same time. Payless was a division of K-Mart at the time. Bazzar Foods reamained until the late 1970s. The Gov Mart in Tacoma remained for a few more years until it was acquired by Fred Meyer. Then it became Cost...
by timbabcock
19 Mar 2007 01:05
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: White Front Stores
Replies: 53
Views: 65571

White Fronts in the Seattle market

We had White Fronts up here as well. The Burien Washington store I think my Dad helped in the construction of that one. I remember going there when it was opened but I don't remember much about the inside of it. That archway was pretty impressive though. After they shut the company down Valu Mart (a...
by timbabcock
19 Mar 2007 00:38
Forum: History: Drugstore Chains
Topic: Thrifty Drug in the Northwest
Replies: 48
Views: 51173

Thrifty/Payless in Federal Way

For awhile in the 1980s and 1990s it seemed like all the drugstores in Federal Way (except for Drug Emporium/Longs Drugs) were under the same company. There was a time when Thrifty, Pay and Save, and Payless were under the same umbrella there were four stores in shopping centers next to each other. ...
by timbabcock
19 Mar 2007 00:28
Forum: History: Drugstore Chains
Topic: Thrifty Drug in the Northwest
Replies: 48
Views: 51173

Thrifty Drugs

Giant T was Thrify Drugs. The name was used in Washington State up unitl 1984 just before they took over Pay & Save they dropped the Giant T name and switched them to Thrifty. The reason why they didn't use the name was because Thrifty Drugs was being used by another drugstore chain (when Rexall...