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The Stater Bros. store on Firestone Blvd in Downey, CA is undergoing a rather extensive remodel. This is a former Albertsons blue-gray that was divested to Stater in 1999 - and it hasn't seen much change until a couple weeks ago. The remodeling process is starting to uncover some remains of an earlier interior design, possibly from the 70s (but I'm not sure of that.)

Check out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7591905@N07/637073972/
and: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7591905@N07/637073966/
These are cellphone shots and I apologize for their low-resolution in advance.

The store is located at 7814 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241, and is open during remodeling should anyone else desire to peek around.

Anyone know of any other prior occupants to Albertsons?

Looks like the earlier decor package may have been this one (shot on video in Visalia CA in 1999):

a good way to see the 1970's interior still in southern california is to visit the Albertsons in Temple City on Rosemead Bl. Albertsons never remodeled the store and still is using the classic 70's look. I was just there about a week ago.

I think the only addition is they put a very small deli in the back of the store. This Albertsons was the standard design for the 70's. This is what the Montebello store looked like as well up until it was closed in the 80's. Same floorplan as well.

That interior reminds me of an abandoned Albertsons store I saw in Denver while on vacation last year. The store I saw was on West Colfax Ave and Kendall St.

Albertson's used to have a store in the Stonewood Mall when it was outdoors, now enclosed. IIRC, they later opened another location in 1983. I don't remember a 2nd Albertson's on Firestone, could be wrong.

When Albertsons entered the Southern Claifornia area they did so by buying the Greater All American Markets in 1964. At that time I think they had the offices of the Greater All American Markets located in one of their stores on Firestone Blvd. in Downey. I don't know if it is the same address as the Albertsons Store that Stater Bros. is currently remodeling or not but it is be possible that may be the same store.

wayne winterland jr. wrote:When Albertsons entered the Southern Claifornia area they did so by buying the Greater All American Markets in 1964.

7814 E Firestone Blvd. in Downey was an All American Market at least as early as June 6, 1959.

justin karimzad wrote:

wayne winterland jr. wrote:When Albertsons entered the Southern Claifornia area they did so by buying the Greater All American Markets in 1964.

7814 E Firestone Blvd. in Downey was an All American Market at least as early as June 6, 1959.

I will follow up by adding that some other hints to the age of this store have shown up (some in remodeling.) One distinction this store has is a plaster ceiling (no drop panels, no beams, just flat plaster.) The other hint is that the side walls are red brick (visible on the inside of the store where drywall has been removed.) Both seem to fit with a late-50s construction style. Hopefully that nice plaster ceiling will make it through this remodel as well.

I've never heard of All American Market... what was their claim to fame? Maybe someone else can start a new post on that subject...

Any relation to the All American Home Center, also in Downey?

I only special thing that I remember about the Greater All American Markets was that every one of their stores had a very large American Flag that they always had flying on a flag pole in front of their stores.