Mayfair Market in Century City

Uh...California.

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Groceteria
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Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Groceteria »

Currently on the front page:

http://www.groceteria.com/journal/2008/10.html#101408

Anyone know if this building is still there and what its current inhabitant might be?
Jeff
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Jeff »

First Suggestion: It looks like it could be the current Gelsons Market at the Century City Shopping Center. That area did recently remodel adding a 2nd level to the mall and is unrecognizable now from the old days of the mall. Its across from apartments and in the only shopping area of Century City.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Groceteria »

Jeff wrote:It looks like it could be the current Gelsons Market at the Century City Shopping Center.
It would make a lot of sense for it to be a Gelson's now, huh?
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by klkla »

the Mayfair Markets in Century City and Pacific Palisades were both converted to Gelsons within a couple years after Arden-Mayfair acquired the chain from the Gelson brothers in the late 60's.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Groceteria »

Whchh would make it Gelson's, then Mayfair, then Gelsons's again? Interesting.

I added another photo to the page mentioned above, BTW.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by klkla »

Groceteria wrote:Whchh would make it Gelson's, then Mayfair, then Gelsons's again? Interesting.

I added another photo to the page mentioned above, BTW.
No... It was built as a Mayfair. I have an old ad that has a small blurb calling it "Mayfair's store of the year 1965"... So it must have been built around that same time and then converted to a Gelson's shortly after the Progressive Grocer article. Those photos are very cool and interestingly the first time I went into that store around 1985 it had basically the same interior and exterior although it was a Gelson's by that time and then was remodeled into a 1980's neon-light modern look shortly afterward. It was remodeled again about two years ago.

This was Gelson's number one store for many years... probably still is... generating sales of over $1 million a week for most of the 90's. Westfield bought the developement (Century City Shopping Centre) and remodeled it over a very long period of time which depressed the Gelson's sales but it's still alive and kicking.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Jeff »

In the main picture of the store, you can see a pedestrian ramp going up. The mall level is slightly higher than the Market. The market has its own parking on the top level of the underground parking structure. This makes sense. Like I said though, they probably tore out the ramp and placed the escalators there sometime after. And if you look closely you can see the parking structure in the back.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by runchadrun »

The store opened on June 16, 1965 and was the 227th store in the chain. The theme of the store was "Shopping--A Century Ahead" which explains the "Space Column," the thing with the lights having off of it.

I found a 1969 ad for an adjoining bank that refers to the store as a Gelson's.

One of the Arden-Mayfair executives was previously the director of property development for 20th Century Fox and was responsible for creating Century City. That's the connection that got Mayfair into the shopping center.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Jeff »

That column has to be in the store somwhere, even though I'm sure its been stripped of its decor.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by ajsanjua »

Since the store or at least the building is still in place, would it be reasonable to assume that elements of the original interior architecture still remains intact, or has it been completely modified to suit changing tastes of decor over the decades?
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Groceteria »

It's a pretty substantial-looking column, so I'm sure it's still there, assuming the building itself is. In fact, I'd be surprised if there weren't others; if the needed one, they probably needed more. Like Jeff, I'm betting it no longer has the "flying saucer" extensions, though, and may have been hidden in subsequent remodelings.

The text mentions that the store also had three distinct ceiling heights. Never having visited, I wouldn't hazard a guess as to whether this were a structural thing or just a cosmetic one to add "drama" (sorry, too many home improvement shows...) I'm guessing maybe a little of both. Of course, those varied ceiling heights would also help to camouflage later enlargements into surrounding spaces, etc.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by Jeff »

I may have to check out this market.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by enginecapt »

I'll bet they spelled Bake Shop "Bake Shoppe".
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by klkla »

ajsanjua wrote:Since the store or at least the building is still in place, would it be reasonable to assume that elements of the original interior architecture still remains intact, or has it been completely modified to suit changing tastes of decor over the decades?
It has been completely modified twice since I moved to Los Angeles in 1984. Even though it is in the same physical structure both the inside and outside have been modified during both remodels.
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Re: Mayfair Market in Century City

Post by klkla »

I was in Century City today and had not seen the center since the remodel was completed and took a few shots with my iPhone (sorry about the quality).

This is what the store looks like today. There is no resemblance to the original.
Image
There is no more open parking in the center and additional stores have been built on top of the original Gelson's structure.

For comparison I took this photo from roughly where the "Marfair Market Main Entrance" sign is in the photo below. The front of the original store was demolished and the store was expanded going forward. So again for reference, the entrance to the current store is roughly where the ramp is located in the photo below.
Image

It was interesting that they kept the neon from the 1980's remodel throughout the store. They changed the colors of the neon and the wall, which used to be in purple and blue hues, to a dark red and orange hue. The store still has multiple ceiling heights and some dramatic touches that would be made possible because the ceiling is so high. I managed to sneak in a couple of shots but the store was packed and I was surprised I was able to get these without anyone noticing.

Image

Image

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