Happy 2012, and welcome to the start of a new year of Pleasant Family Shopping, where we revisit those great everyday places from our past – the supermarket, the discount store, the shopping center and more. Think about it – they’ve changed more than a little through the years, haven’t they?And to start the year off right, we’ve adopted a special theme. I like to call it “ring out the old, ring in the new” for short. (Originality. The hallmark of this website.) To symbolize this, I refer you to the photo above, circa early 1971, showing the huge, brand new Safeway supermarket in Lafayette, California, replete with mansard roof, open and ready for business. (Still there, now with a Starbucks!) In front of it is the original Safeway it replaced, shortly before the older store assumed a flat, paved-over configuration, er…became a parking lot.
So that’s our theme – ring out the old…away with the pylons and pastel colors…the barrel roofs and the checkered tile floors that held us back!
And ring in the new…bring on the cedar shingles and earth tones…the Norwegian woods…the ferns and the lower-case fonts that help us to find our true inner selves.
Ok, wait a minute – sure, I like mansard roofs. Earth tones are great, and lower-case fonts have improved all of our lives, there’s scientific proof* of that. But I still like pylons, too! And pastels, barrel roofs and funky tile still move me. I can’t help it, I want ‘em both! I want it all. Now.
In fact, I’m peeved that they ever tore the old Safeway down in this case. I’m thinking a “Safeway Visitors Center” would have been the perfect use for the old store. Heck, the Starbucks could’ve been put there! Sure, people might have had to carry their groceries a block or so on busy days (when jars were glass instead of plastic), but that's not too much to ask, is it?
* According to Dave’s scientific method.
You had me scaed there for a second, Dave. ;-)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Happy New Year! I really liked the Safeway picture you used for the post. Two Safeways for the price of one! Too bad the older of the two had to go. I can barely remember when Safeway was still here in Springfield. Very far back in the recesses of my memory. And I only remember what one looked like inside, when it was Safeway. It was next to Skaggs, now the coolest looking CVS in the world (your mention of which, nearly a year ago, brought me to the site initially!). I don't remember what that Safeway looked like on the outside, though. It wasn't very big. However, there was another Safeway, at Grant Avenue and Commercial Street on Springfield's north side. As far as I know, that building is still there as locally-based Price-Cutter. You can't miss that building; it is the marina-style Safeway building, and quite intact on the exterior, anyway.
ReplyDeleteHey! Looking forward to another year of looking back-- thanks for the great blog & happy new year. E
ReplyDeleteThere's a former Safeway of the old barrel-roof desing in my hometown (Modesto, CA) that has been a Pep Boys for at least 30 years.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year and thanks for your always interesting posts!
Fascinating, Walterworld...George Lucas meets Manny, Moe and Jack.
ReplyDeleteSorry I am a little late, Dave, but as the old saying goes better late than never. Happy New Year. Hope you and your family enjoyed all of your holiday time together. Looking forward to a bright new year full of posts.
ReplyDeleteDave, JCPenney just updated their logo, again! It's now just "jcp" and looks like the crappy Gap logo a few years back.
ReplyDeleteOn a lighter note, I decided to read "On Target" and I finally filled out my blogpost on the local Target. In doing research, I found that the Southridge Mall Target (Des Moines, Iowa, the mall was profiled on there a few months back) was opened the exact same day as the local one, except it never renovated, still sporting the colorful bits of neon spread everywhere. Dated but delightfully 90s.
ReplyDeletePlease start postin more info, Dave!!! I would like to see more on Food Fair, maybe Florida stories??
ReplyDeleteThose mansard-roofed Safeway stores with the circle S on the right side of the entrance are how I remember Safeway. As for the interior, I just remember dark-colored wood paneling and "thank you for shopping safeway" in lowercase letters above the entrance/exit. When Safeway changed their logo in the mid-80s, they remodeled and brightened the store considerably. White paneling was installed and neon signs were placed above each department. Also, they changed the thank-you message with capital letters and the rectangular Safeway logo. I remember it so vividly because I went there several times a week back in the day.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they removed the monolith-shaped Safeway sign when they tore down the old store? It was dated but still cool looking.