Ralphs, 17020 Chatsworth, Granada Hills

TheStranger · Post by **TheStranger** » 04 Nov 2006 03:11

From the August 1965 issue of Chain Store Age magazine.

larger: http://dtcwrt.earlracing.com/stores/csa ... ranada.jpg

This location is now a Staples and Walgreens combo (with a Walgreens false front), as seen from Live Local:
http://local.live.com/?v=2&sp=Point.pq9 ... d%20States___

greebs · Post by **greebs** » 04 Nov 2006 11:12

This store was damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake and was eventually closed when the store on Chatsworth and Zelzah was opened.

runchadrun · Post by **runchadrun** » 04 Nov 2006 11:29

Can I just say that that is the coolest sign ever? It's as if George Jetson himself designed it! I now have an avatar :-)

The store opened on November 12, 1959 and the ad you have looks like it's promoting a remodel.

I moved to Granada Hills in 2001 and it was a Staples at that time but my impression from being inside the store many times is that it's a new build. Looking at the birds eye view there is a slight gable--nothing like the you see in the ad--but it points the wrong way for the Ralphs address to be on Chatsworth.

I found a reference in the Times database that it was a Ralphs as late as 1990 (perhaps later).I'm sure this store closed no later than the Hughes merger. There was a large Hughes a half mile to the south at Balboa and Devonshire and 1.5 miles to the west at Zelzah there's the strange situation of 2 Ralphs across the street from each other. (Edit: looks like greebs beat me to this...)

greebs · Post by **greebs** » 04 Nov 2006 11:45

I think this store closed in late 1996 or early 1997. I was working at the store on Chatsworth and Zelzah during it's construction in late 1997 and bought something at the Staples. Also this store had a remodel in 1993 only to be remodeled again in 1994 after the earthquake.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » 04 Nov 2006 12:25

Change the view of the Live Local pic and you can see the Gable. The store was situated East-West. The store actually faced Balboa.

runchadrun · Post by **runchadrun** » 04 Nov 2006 12:41

Yeah, Jeff, I think you're right. It looks like a sideways gable with the entrance on Chatsworth which is how the Staples is oriented. I don't see any doors on the gable end behind the Jetsons sign.

I'm surprised I've never noticed this before since I'm shopping there or Walgreens a few times a month.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » 04 Nov 2006 12:54

Well, it looks like you are going to need to investigate closer. Look for any bricked up doors or docks in the back.

mgrmk · Post by **mgrmk** » 04 Nov 2006 14:43

As a kid, I shopped at this store often with my parents. The gable side is where the produce dept. was, the entrance was on the Chatsworth side of the building. This Ralphs was the setting for many of the companys TV commercials and advertisements in the mid 70's to mid 80's.

greebs · Post by **greebs** » 04 Nov 2006 22:11

The Ralphs store in Orange has the same kind of sign. I wonder how many stores had this. It's located at 1435 W. Chapman Ave.

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » 04 Nov 2006 22:31

http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2& ... ne=6823596

Here is the sign of the store in Orange.

Anyone know what the Circuit City was before? Its a very odd store, and doesn't resemble an Akrons store.

runchadrun · Post by **runchadrun** » 04 Nov 2006 23:35

Jeff wrote:Anyone know what the Circuit City was before? Its a very odd store, and doesn't resemble an Akrons store.

It was indeed an Akron. (I thought it looked more like a Thrifty.) The address (1407 W. Chapman) is listed in an Akron ad from December 1976. The grand opening as a Circuit City was on November 1, 1985. The first 5 Socal CC stores opened on that day.