Smith's Food King in Socal--with store locations
Posted: 31 Oct 2006 16:30
For the purposes of this post, I'm talking about the first entry of Smith's Food King in Southern California, not the short-lived reentry in the 1990s.
According to news reports I've found, Smith's bought 26 former Food Giant/Food King markets in August, 1971, in Socal and converted them to Smith's Food King. 16 of those stores were called Food King (as opposed to Smith's Food King--no confusion there!) and 10 were called Food Giant. In February, 1972, they acquired the remaining 23 Food Giant stores giving them 49 stores. (10 FG stores in San Diego were sold to Vons at the same time.) In 1982 they picked up 6 former Market Basket locations. By 1984 Smiths sold all of their California stores to Lucky but the total number statewide was 34 stores with only 17 in the LA/OC/IE area.
I'm wondering what happened to the other stores. In doing research into the 1972 locations I've found several Big Lots (nee Pic N Save). Did they sell of a bunch of locations to Pic N Save? I know one location (Mission Hills) that went from Market Basket to Smiths to Vons. Did they sell of any chunks of stores to other chains or was that likely a one-off deal?
Also, what kind of store replacement and expansion did Smiths do, if any? For example, the Granada Hills store moved about a mile east between 1972 and 1984 and is now my local Albertsons. It looks like the store in West Covina (Azusa and Francisquito) also moved, while Upland (Euclid and 24th) was new. (It's possible those three stores were Market Baskets. The GH store does have an architecture similar to MB stores of the late 70s/early 80s.) All of the other stores from the Lucky buyout list match 1972 locations.
Now, as promised, here's the location lists from 1972 and 1984:
These stores are from a June 15, 1972, display ad in the Los Angeles Times. Smith's Food King took over Food Giant's Socal stores earlier in 1972. Smith's initially entered the Socal market by buying 26 Food Giant stores and in 1972 they bought 26 more. Fortunately the ad indicates which ones are Food King and with ones are Food Giant. Unfortunately no street addresses are given, only the intersection or shopping center name. The stores maked with *** are stores listed in a 1984 ad advertising the Lucky takeover of those stores.
Smith's Food King Stores
Katella Ave near Euclid, Anaheim--There's a bunch of stuff at this intersection--Big Lots, Savon, Pep Boys. I love the sign on the Pep Boys
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=182845
Wilshire near Canon Drive, Beverly Hills--Closed in early 80s
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3590185
***Dale St. at La Palma, Buena Park--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=173204
Long Beach Blvd near Compton Blvd, Compton--Maybe this Super Value store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=976609
Citrus Ave at Arrow Hwy, Covina--Superior Food Warehouse
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6897954
***Whittier at Gerhart, East LA--Probably this empty (?) store next to Kmart
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=631604
Midway Shopping Center, El Monte--I think it might be this store on Lower Azusa Road which I can't identify
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6918501
Sears Shopping Center, El Monte--This entire mall is now Longo Toyota
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=327204
Compton Ave at Florence, Florence (LA)--Superior Food Warehouse
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7012433
Crenshaw at Compton, Gardena--These streets run parallel so I don't know.
San Fernando Mission at Balboa, Granada Hills--Based on other articles, this was in the Balboa Mission Shopping Center and that is my local Vons shopping center but the Vons has been there since 1960, originally in the Ross building and was moved to the other end in 1996. So I'm not sure if they were separate shopping centers at the time and there was a Smith's where the Vons is now. As of the Lucky buyout of the Socal Smiths in 1984 the Smith's had moved to the corner of San Fernando Mission and Woodley, which is now my local Albertsons and about 1/4 mile from my house.
Hollywood at Western, Hollywood--There's a Ralphs on the northeast corner but it's a new build. There's a Metro Red Line station at that corner and it's possible it was torn down for the construction.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6892400
Orange at San Antonio, Long Beach--Not sure. This sure is an interesting street setup with concentric circles.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7033458
Ladera Shopping Center, Los Angeles--This shopping center is at the intersection of La Tijera and Centinela. I'm going to guess that it's the Ross, which is the store with the white roof. There's a Ralphs which was relatively new when I lived in the area about 12 years ago, so Ralphs could have been in the Ross. The store at the far east end was a Service Merchandise and it looks like it's been integrated into the Ralphs.
Olympic at Beverly Glen, Los Angeles--This entire area is residential but there's a Ralphs a few blocks to the east
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6951950
Santa Barbara at Vermont, Los Angeles--Santa Barbara is now MLK and that intersection is across the street from the Coliseum. This looks to be an independent store. As an aside, go a little to the east to see great shots of the Coliseum and the beautifully-rebuilt swim staduim from the 1932 Olympics. (The west view shows it still under construction.)
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6993806
Pioneer and Florence, Norwalk--Looks like this is all business parks, schools, and parks
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6524646
Ventura Blvd in Fremont Square, Oxnard--Albertsons per this page: http://www.oxnardretail.com/asites.html
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q ... 8&t=k&om=1
Beverly Blvd at Rosemead, Pico Rivera--Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=666427
Sherman Way at Reseda Blvd, Reseda--No idea
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3105380
Western at Caddington, San Pedro--Maybe in this shopping center?
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=1476089
Lincoln at Ashland, Santa Monica--I think it's this location, which is now a McDonald's. It was a Pic N Save in the 70s and I used to go there with my grandmother until they moved down the street into a former Safeway.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7000496
Irvine Blvd near Newport St, Tustin--Not sure which center, either the one with Ralphs or the one with Whole Foods
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6871590
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=301200
***San Bernardino Rd at Irwindale, West Covina--A church
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6919413
***Santa Monica Bl at Westwood Bl, Westwood--The closest thing I can think of is the Ross on Westwood Blvd but I always thought that was an Alpha Beta. It is definitely not the Cost Plus, which was built in the mid 90's, and it's not the Bristol Farms, which is a former Westward Ho market.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3581573
Food Giant stores
Ramona Blvd at Baldwin Park, Baldwin Park--Either the Valu+ or the 99 Cent Only Store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=350429
Valley View at Lincoln, Buena Park--I'm guessing it's the Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=165168
Victory Blvd at Fallbrook, Canoga Park--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3077366
Harbor Shopping Center, Costa Mesa (Northeast corner of Harbor and Wilson)--Albertsons. Major work has been done on this center recently.
Atlantic Blvd in Cudahy Plaza, Cudahy--Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7015753
Fontana Square Shopping Center, Fontana--probably this store I can't identify
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=720432
Chapman at State College, Fullerton--Here we have our choice of Big Lots or Drug Emporium
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=374529
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6648482
Hawthorne at 131 St, Hawthorne--Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=876923
Crenshaw at Imperial, Inglewood--Ralphs
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=902207
Imperial at Meyer, La Mirada--no match for this intersection
***Amar Rd at Puente, La Puente--Something in this strip mall?
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6957413
***Rossmoor Shopping Center, Los Alamitos/Seal Beach--I think it's this Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=244394
Crenshaw near Rodeo, Los Angeles--Ralphs
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=562175
***Hillhurst near Los Feliz, Los Feliz Hills--Albertsons (Actually, Hillhurst and Franklin per the 1984 Lucky ad)
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3403274
Century Blvd at Bullis, Lynwood--I can't find this. Those streets don't intersect.
***Sepulveda and Marine, Manhattan Beach--Closed now, but it was a Lucky. I think it closed before it had a chance to become an Albertsons. The brother of a friend of mine in college worked there.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=879999
Atlantic Blvd near Randolf, Maywood
Sepulveda and Devonshire, Mission Hills--Vons, currently undergoing a Lifestyle remodel.
Webb and Lankershim, North Hollywood--Food4Less, probably a replacement store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3155934
Laurel Canyon near Ventura Blvd, Studio City--Vons. Was a Ralphs but when they merged with Hughes they divested this store. This is probably one of the higher-grossing stores in the chain.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3376775
"Magic Chef" Del Amo Center, Torrance--Not sure. Magic Chef owned Smiths for a while so they must have some kind of crossover store. Unrelated but across the street from Del Amo, I love this bank:
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=1193277
West 190th St at Inglewood, Torrance--HOWS Market
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7031066
***Sepulveda and Sherman Way, Van Nuys--Jons Market, former Lucky and briefly an Albertsons. I almost bought a house behind this store. If you look at the north view you'll see the center before it was remodeled.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6751453
****Westminster Ave near Golden West, Westminster--Probably the Albertsons in this large center
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6843900
These stores weren't in the 1972 ad but were listed in the 1984 Lucky ad:
San Fernando Mission at Woodley, Granada Hills--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=2987609
Balboa at 31st St, Newport Beach--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=2340486
Alondra Blvd at Downey Ave, Paramount--Not sure, there's a Stater Bros and another, older, shopping center.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7028333
Pioneer at Rosecrans, Norwalk-- Norwalk Square, Former Market Basket, now Fallas Paredes mexican wear store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=1035766
Vintage photo on this thread: http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=413
Euclid at 24th St, Upland--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=540023
E. Amar Rd at Nogales Rd, Walnut Hills--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6989365
According to news reports I've found, Smith's bought 26 former Food Giant/Food King markets in August, 1971, in Socal and converted them to Smith's Food King. 16 of those stores were called Food King (as opposed to Smith's Food King--no confusion there!) and 10 were called Food Giant. In February, 1972, they acquired the remaining 23 Food Giant stores giving them 49 stores. (10 FG stores in San Diego were sold to Vons at the same time.) In 1982 they picked up 6 former Market Basket locations. By 1984 Smiths sold all of their California stores to Lucky but the total number statewide was 34 stores with only 17 in the LA/OC/IE area.
I'm wondering what happened to the other stores. In doing research into the 1972 locations I've found several Big Lots (nee Pic N Save). Did they sell of a bunch of locations to Pic N Save? I know one location (Mission Hills) that went from Market Basket to Smiths to Vons. Did they sell of any chunks of stores to other chains or was that likely a one-off deal?
Also, what kind of store replacement and expansion did Smiths do, if any? For example, the Granada Hills store moved about a mile east between 1972 and 1984 and is now my local Albertsons. It looks like the store in West Covina (Azusa and Francisquito) also moved, while Upland (Euclid and 24th) was new. (It's possible those three stores were Market Baskets. The GH store does have an architecture similar to MB stores of the late 70s/early 80s.) All of the other stores from the Lucky buyout list match 1972 locations.
Now, as promised, here's the location lists from 1972 and 1984:
These stores are from a June 15, 1972, display ad in the Los Angeles Times. Smith's Food King took over Food Giant's Socal stores earlier in 1972. Smith's initially entered the Socal market by buying 26 Food Giant stores and in 1972 they bought 26 more. Fortunately the ad indicates which ones are Food King and with ones are Food Giant. Unfortunately no street addresses are given, only the intersection or shopping center name. The stores maked with *** are stores listed in a 1984 ad advertising the Lucky takeover of those stores.
Smith's Food King Stores
Katella Ave near Euclid, Anaheim--There's a bunch of stuff at this intersection--Big Lots, Savon, Pep Boys. I love the sign on the Pep Boys
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=182845
Wilshire near Canon Drive, Beverly Hills--Closed in early 80s
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3590185
***Dale St. at La Palma, Buena Park--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=173204
Long Beach Blvd near Compton Blvd, Compton--Maybe this Super Value store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=976609
Citrus Ave at Arrow Hwy, Covina--Superior Food Warehouse
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6897954
***Whittier at Gerhart, East LA--Probably this empty (?) store next to Kmart
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=631604
Midway Shopping Center, El Monte--I think it might be this store on Lower Azusa Road which I can't identify
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6918501
Sears Shopping Center, El Monte--This entire mall is now Longo Toyota
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=327204
Compton Ave at Florence, Florence (LA)--Superior Food Warehouse
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7012433
Crenshaw at Compton, Gardena--These streets run parallel so I don't know.
San Fernando Mission at Balboa, Granada Hills--Based on other articles, this was in the Balboa Mission Shopping Center and that is my local Vons shopping center but the Vons has been there since 1960, originally in the Ross building and was moved to the other end in 1996. So I'm not sure if they were separate shopping centers at the time and there was a Smith's where the Vons is now. As of the Lucky buyout of the Socal Smiths in 1984 the Smith's had moved to the corner of San Fernando Mission and Woodley, which is now my local Albertsons and about 1/4 mile from my house.
Hollywood at Western, Hollywood--There's a Ralphs on the northeast corner but it's a new build. There's a Metro Red Line station at that corner and it's possible it was torn down for the construction.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6892400
Orange at San Antonio, Long Beach--Not sure. This sure is an interesting street setup with concentric circles.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7033458
Ladera Shopping Center, Los Angeles--This shopping center is at the intersection of La Tijera and Centinela. I'm going to guess that it's the Ross, which is the store with the white roof. There's a Ralphs which was relatively new when I lived in the area about 12 years ago, so Ralphs could have been in the Ross. The store at the far east end was a Service Merchandise and it looks like it's been integrated into the Ralphs.
Olympic at Beverly Glen, Los Angeles--This entire area is residential but there's a Ralphs a few blocks to the east
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6951950
Santa Barbara at Vermont, Los Angeles--Santa Barbara is now MLK and that intersection is across the street from the Coliseum. This looks to be an independent store. As an aside, go a little to the east to see great shots of the Coliseum and the beautifully-rebuilt swim staduim from the 1932 Olympics. (The west view shows it still under construction.)
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6993806
Pioneer and Florence, Norwalk--Looks like this is all business parks, schools, and parks
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6524646
Ventura Blvd in Fremont Square, Oxnard--Albertsons per this page: http://www.oxnardretail.com/asites.html
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q ... 8&t=k&om=1
Beverly Blvd at Rosemead, Pico Rivera--Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=666427
Sherman Way at Reseda Blvd, Reseda--No idea
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3105380
Western at Caddington, San Pedro--Maybe in this shopping center?
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=1476089
Lincoln at Ashland, Santa Monica--I think it's this location, which is now a McDonald's. It was a Pic N Save in the 70s and I used to go there with my grandmother until they moved down the street into a former Safeway.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7000496
Irvine Blvd near Newport St, Tustin--Not sure which center, either the one with Ralphs or the one with Whole Foods
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6871590
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=301200
***San Bernardino Rd at Irwindale, West Covina--A church
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6919413
***Santa Monica Bl at Westwood Bl, Westwood--The closest thing I can think of is the Ross on Westwood Blvd but I always thought that was an Alpha Beta. It is definitely not the Cost Plus, which was built in the mid 90's, and it's not the Bristol Farms, which is a former Westward Ho market.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3581573
Food Giant stores
Ramona Blvd at Baldwin Park, Baldwin Park--Either the Valu+ or the 99 Cent Only Store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=350429
Valley View at Lincoln, Buena Park--I'm guessing it's the Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=165168
Victory Blvd at Fallbrook, Canoga Park--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3077366
Harbor Shopping Center, Costa Mesa (Northeast corner of Harbor and Wilson)--Albertsons. Major work has been done on this center recently.
Atlantic Blvd in Cudahy Plaza, Cudahy--Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7015753
Fontana Square Shopping Center, Fontana--probably this store I can't identify
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=720432
Chapman at State College, Fullerton--Here we have our choice of Big Lots or Drug Emporium
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=374529
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6648482
Hawthorne at 131 St, Hawthorne--Big Lots
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=876923
Crenshaw at Imperial, Inglewood--Ralphs
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=902207
Imperial at Meyer, La Mirada--no match for this intersection
***Amar Rd at Puente, La Puente--Something in this strip mall?
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6957413
***Rossmoor Shopping Center, Los Alamitos/Seal Beach--I think it's this Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=244394
Crenshaw near Rodeo, Los Angeles--Ralphs
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=562175
***Hillhurst near Los Feliz, Los Feliz Hills--Albertsons (Actually, Hillhurst and Franklin per the 1984 Lucky ad)
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3403274
Century Blvd at Bullis, Lynwood--I can't find this. Those streets don't intersect.
***Sepulveda and Marine, Manhattan Beach--Closed now, but it was a Lucky. I think it closed before it had a chance to become an Albertsons. The brother of a friend of mine in college worked there.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=879999
Atlantic Blvd near Randolf, Maywood
Sepulveda and Devonshire, Mission Hills--Vons, currently undergoing a Lifestyle remodel.
Webb and Lankershim, North Hollywood--Food4Less, probably a replacement store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3155934
Laurel Canyon near Ventura Blvd, Studio City--Vons. Was a Ralphs but when they merged with Hughes they divested this store. This is probably one of the higher-grossing stores in the chain.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=3376775
"Magic Chef" Del Amo Center, Torrance--Not sure. Magic Chef owned Smiths for a while so they must have some kind of crossover store. Unrelated but across the street from Del Amo, I love this bank:
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=1193277
West 190th St at Inglewood, Torrance--HOWS Market
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7031066
***Sepulveda and Sherman Way, Van Nuys--Jons Market, former Lucky and briefly an Albertsons. I almost bought a house behind this store. If you look at the north view you'll see the center before it was remodeled.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6751453
****Westminster Ave near Golden West, Westminster--Probably the Albertsons in this large center
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6843900
These stores weren't in the 1972 ad but were listed in the 1984 Lucky ad:
San Fernando Mission at Woodley, Granada Hills--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=2987609
Balboa at 31st St, Newport Beach--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=2340486
Alondra Blvd at Downey Ave, Paramount--Not sure, there's a Stater Bros and another, older, shopping center.
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=7028333
Pioneer at Rosecrans, Norwalk-- Norwalk Square, Former Market Basket, now Fallas Paredes mexican wear store
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=1035766
Vintage photo on this thread: http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=413
Euclid at 24th St, Upland--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ene=540023
E. Amar Rd at Nogales Rd, Walnut Hills--Albertsons
http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6989365