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Were FedMart and FedCo the same company...?

steps wrote:Were FedMart and FedCo the same company...?

No. FedMart was a standard for-profit company. Fedco was a non-profit, membership-only store where the members owned the company. A good comparison would be a bank vs. a credit union, thought Fedco didn't paint "member-owner" on every parking spot. :)

Fedco shut down about 10 years ago, sold their real estate to Target, used the money to pay off all their debts, and put the rest of the money into a charitable foundation. If only every bankrupt company was that responsible...

There's some discussion about Fedco vs FedMart at this thread: http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=572

Probably the largest chain to use a model something like Fedco's would be REI, which has a lifetime membership. REI shares profits with members through a dividend. USAA, the insurance company for people in the military or the uniformed public health service is another example. Fedco probably was modeled on military post exchanges, which are a familiar part of military bases and also found in larger embassies. A lot of post WWII vets came to LA from elsewhere in the country and many worked in civil service. Fairly early on, employees of military contractors (like the big aircraft companies) could join Fedco. Toward the end, the definition of who could join Fedco was pretty broad. the stores were impressive and had really low prices.

rich wrote:Probably the largest chain to use a model something like Fedco's would be REI, which has a lifetime membership. REI shares profits with members through a dividend.

I was going to use REI as an example, but it's not quite the same as Fedco. Anyone can shop at REI, not just members, but only members get the annual dividend, which is 10% of non-sale-price cash purchases. With Fedco only members could shop there and there was no dividend per se, that was supposed to be reflected in lower prices. (I, for one, wouldn't mind if REI would just give a 10% discount to members. It would get more people to join and I wouldn't have to wait a year to get my dividend.)

runchadrun wrote:

steps wrote:Were FedMart and FedCo the same company...?

No. FedMart was a standard for-profit company. Fedco was a non-profit, membership-only store where the members owned the company. A good comparison would be a bank vs. a credit union, thought Fedco didn't paint "member-owner" on every parking spot. :)

Fedco shut down about 10 years ago, sold their real estate to Target, used the money to pay off all their debts, and put the rest of the money into a charitable foundation. If only every bankrupt company was that responsible...

There's some discussion about Fedco vs FedMart at this thread: http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=572

Ahhh...Thanks! Learn something new everyday!

FEDCO had a "lifetime" membership card. One would believe it is the lifetime of the shopper...yet in this case...the life of the store.

When FEDCO closed...LUCKY ran a promo to attract the FEDCO shoppers.

You brought your FEDCO card to LUCKY...$5 would be deducted from your LUCKY purchases!

Dean wrote:FEDCO had a "lifetime" membership card. One would believe it is the lifetime of the shopper...yet in this case...the life of the store.

As was GEMCO;)

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I just came across this YouTube video of a family shopping at the La Cienega store in 1984.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVqHYPSFnsE

Current use of all former Fedco locations, all closed after it filed for bankrupcy and sold all their assets including all store sites to Dayton Hudson Corporation (now Target Corporation):

2534 S Archibald, Ontario: Ontario Police headquarters (acquired from Target after being vacant for about 3-4 years and completely renovated. The old auto center is now the Fleet Garage for the Police Department. The T-sign is still there on the side of the Pomona Freeway but does not identify it as a police building.
This was my area store - had the main retail section with the beautifully lit furniture department and the mini-shops: Panda Express, Cutlery Shop, Produce Shop, Fedcal Foods (mini-supermarket with full service meat), Bakery Shop, Optical Shop. The interior was stuck in the early 1980's up to closing time and rarely sported the newer colorful logo - it always used the old lettering of the 1970's. The Reporter Magazine was always intersting and fun to read - mixing the monthly ad with California History articles. I still have some 1998 relics - got tires at the auto shop, a delivery service magnet, service plans brochure, and a return item form.

Anyways, here is the fate of the other locations:

570 S Mt Vernon, San Bernardino: Fiesta Mexican Supermarket
8450 La Palma, Buena Park: Walmart SuperCenter
1475 E Valley Parkway, Escondido: Home Depot

The following are Target Stores:
11525 South St, Cerritos
3030 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa (Target Greatland?)
3535 S La Cienega, Los Angeles
14920 Raymer St, Van Nuys

Other uses:
1100 Highland Dr, National City - Panda Express/Walmart
3111 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena. Pasadena was split in 2 properties - the main store and somewhere down Colorado was the Furniture and Appliance Center. Currently a 24 Hour-A-Day locksmith shop and Panda Express. Another source says it became the East Pasadena Target in 2001.

luckysaver

ps
I found someone's myspace page on Fedco history:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... =262776335
and he had this:

Locations MAIN DEPARTMENT STORES Buena Park, CA (opened 1993 in former May Company store. Second and last multi-level location with 3 floors. Razed for Wal-Mart) Cerritos, CA (Razed for Target Greatland) Costa Mesa, CA (Razed, replaced by Target Greatland, Henry's Marketplace, and other small stores) Escondido, CA (former Sears store, opened early 80's, first multi-level Fedco - razed for Home Depot) Los Angeles, CA - La Cienega (Razed for Target) National City, CA (Razed for Wal Mart) Ontario, CA (now home to Ontario Police Department) Pasadena, CA (Razed for Target) San Bernardino, CA (Building remodeled into a multi-store complex) Van Nuys, CA (Razed for Target)

luckysaver wrote: 8450 La Palma, Buena Park: Walmart SuperCenter

Of note for this location, the Fedco as it was, was completely torn down and Wal-Mart built in its place; This Fedco was probably the last one to open, as it was inside a former 3-story May Company that closed following the merger with Robinsons. Fedco made the lower level into a supermarket, the second and third levels were general merchandise. Fedco also installed two giant passenger elevators that loaded about 10-15 shoppers with their carts on one end, and when they reached their floor, deposited them out the other end...

luckysaver wrote: 3111 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena. Pasadena was split in 2 properties - the main store and somewhere down Colorado was the Furniture and Appliance Center.

The Main building is a Target. The original 2 level underground parking structure still stands too. One interesting sidenote, the old Fedco Parking lot across the street used to bear Fedco signs for a long time after they closed. I don't know if they are still there though today.

The Old Furniture and Appliance Gallery is (or was) a Smart and Final. It has a nice exterior and a typical S&F drap interior.

8450 La Palma, Buena Park: Walmart SuperCenter

Unless they've expanded it recently and haven't updated their website to reflect it, the Buena Park store is just a regular WalMart, not a Supercenter.

The Pasadena Fedco-to-Target was also a teardown and new construction (unlike the Robinson's-to-Target conversion in Pasadena.) The Furniture/Appliance Center that became Smart and Final is the original building, however. There also used to be a Fedco-branded ARCO gas station on the south side of Colorado across from the main Fedco building.

Forgot to mention in the earlier post, Ontario also had a Fedco/ARCO gas station in the parking lot.

If any of you drive by (60 Freeway at Archibald), you can examine how the City of Ontario completely renovated the store to be Police Headquarters. The main building still looks like the old Fedco but I'm sure they made many modifications so that it is now an office building rather than a department store.

luckysaver

1100 Highland in National City is now a Wal-Mart. Looks like a rebuild.

Recent COSTCO magazine discussed how COSTCO began with Fedco roots.

Bit of nostalgia...today I put on my driveway an old couch to be picked up by the trash company.

I bought it at Fedco around 1994!