Three Generations Of Des Moines WA Safeway

Alaska, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Moderator: Groceteria

Post Reply
explorersea
Contributor
Posts: 66
Joined: 27 Jan 2008 15:17
Location: Beautiful Pacific Northwest

Three Generations Of Des Moines WA Safeway

Post by explorersea »

The first Des Moines Safeway opened in 1958 and operated until September 1983 when a new store was built accross the street. The orginal store was expanded in the 1970's which included the classic white flagstone on the front corners with Red S's. The store is now a Bartells and a clerk there told me they are expecting a remodel and the flagstone may be removed. The new Safeway built accross the street was constructed with simple cement slab wall contruction as money was not as plentiful back then and the construction time was reduced. This architecture was common between the early to mid 80's. The store received a handsome Lifestyle rennovation and expansion in 2006 which included the addition of a fuel station.
new-safeway-closeup.jpg
new-safeway-closeup.jpg (25.25 KiB) Viewed 3116 times
Attachments
Des Moines before-safeway-closeup.jpg
Des Moines before-safeway-closeup.jpg (15.86 KiB) Viewed 3115 times
May 2 021.jpg
Last edited by explorersea on 02 May 2009 22:53, edited 1 time in total.
marshd1000
Veteran
Posts: 179
Joined: 07 Nov 2005 13:49
Location: Seattle, WA
Contact:

Re: Three Generations Of Des Moines WA Safeway

Post by marshd1000 »

It seems to me that this was one of the first Safeway Superstores built after the "Circle S" was retired and the "Ribbon S" logo was brought in. I remember that the White Center Safeway, now the DSHS office, was one of the last superstores built with the "Circle S" logo. Plus it had a facade that was sloped and had ceramic tiles. When the Des Moines superstore land was bought, they put up a "coming soon" sign showing that a Safeway Superstore was going to be on the site and they used the "Circle S" on the sign. I believe it was January 1982 that the "Ribbon S" was introduced.

However, I should mention that the current exterior of the Des Moines was around before it received the "Lifestyle" makover. When the makover happened, the "Ribbon S" was retired and the "Lifestyle" logo was introduced.
explorersea
Contributor
Posts: 66
Joined: 27 Jan 2008 15:17
Location: Beautiful Pacific Northwest

Re: Three Generations Of Des Moines WA Safeway

Post by explorersea »

thanks Marshd, you are so right, the 1983 Des Moines store received its remodel first, then a short time later received the Lifestyle refresh, it was a short time between the two. Other stores off the top of my head that had the less expenseive 80's cement slab construction were Renton Fairwood store (closed, new larger store replaced it), Surprise Lake Milton, the Maple Valley store (also replaced by a bigger store), Chewelah and Hillyard (also since replaced).
Super S
Veteran
Posts: 463
Joined: 07 Jan 2006 00:40

Re: Three Generations Of Des Moines WA Safeway

Post by Super S »

Longview's 15th Ave. store used that cement slab construction also, and looked very similar in appearance to the older mid-80s Des Moines pictures. It has since received a Lifestyle remodel and will soon receive a gas station.
Post Reply