Alpha Beta facts for kids
Logo used from 1990 until purchase by Ralphs in 1995
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| Subsidiary of American Stores | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Fate | Merged with Ralphs |
| Successor | Ralphs |
| Founded | 1915 |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Products | supermarkets/food-drug stores |
| Parent | American Stores |
Alpha Beta was a popular chain of grocery stores, also known as supermarkets, in the southwestern part of the United States. These stores operated from 1917 until 1995. After 1995, other grocery companies bought all Alpha Beta stores and changed their names.
Contents
The Story of Alpha Beta Stores
Before it was a store name, 'Alpha Beta' was a cool idea for organizing groceries. Two brothers, Albert and Hugh Gerrard, came up with it. Their idea was to arrange all the groceries in the store in alphabetical order. They first tried this new way of organizing things in their grocery store, Triangle Grocerteria, in 1915.
Opening the First Alpha Beta Store
Then, in 1917, the Gerrards opened their very first Alpha Beta store. It was located in Pomona, a city in eastern Los Angeles County, California. The company also started a chain of coffee shops called Alphy's. There were dozens of these coffee shops across Southern California. Later, the Alphy's coffee shops were sold, and many of them became Denny's restaurants.
Changes in Ownership
A company called American Stores bought Alpha Beta in 1961. Later, in 1979, Skaggs Drug Centers bought American Stores. Skaggs then took on the name American Stores. Some Alpha Beta stores that sold both food and medicine were renamed Skaggs Alpha Beta.
In 1984, American Stores bought another company called The Jewel Companies, Inc.. This company had owned Osco Drug stores since 1961.
Alpha Beta Stores Across States
In 1984, all 34 Alpha Beta stores in Arizona were sold. They were bought by a company called ABCO Foods. These stores kept the Alpha Beta name for a while. However, in Tucson, the Alpha Beta stores changed their names to ABCO stores around 1989.
Some Alpha Beta stores sold more than just regular groceries. For example, in 1980, an Alpha Beta store in Cupertino, California, sold color TVs for less than $200. They also sold Atari computers and other cool items.
In September 1991, the Skaggs-Alpha Beta stores in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arkansas changed their names. There were 76 of these stores, and they became Jewel-Osco stores. This was an effort to use one well-known name for many of the company's stores. A few months later, Albertsons bought some of these stores in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.
The End of Alpha Beta
In 1994, a company called Yucaipa Companies owned the Alpha Beta stores in Southern California. This company then bought the Ralphs Grocery Company. Because of this, all the Alpha Beta stores in Southern California were renamed. They became either Ralphs or Food 4 Less stores. By September 1995, the Alpha Beta name was no longer used.
Alpha Beta stores in Northern California and San Diego County were taken over by Lucky Stores. These stores were then renamed Lucky. Later, Albertsons bought Lucky Stores, which led to another name change for many of these locations. In 2006, many of the Northern California stores were sold to Save Mart Supermarkets. This company had the right to use the Lucky brand, so many of these stores eventually became Lucky again.
Alpha Beta Advertising
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a TV personality named Alan Hamel was the spokesperson for Alpha Beta grocery stores in California. The store used different slogans like "You Can't Lose" and "The Savings Don't Stop." But every commercial with Alan Hamel ended with him telling the audience, "tell a friend."
In the 1980s, Popeye and Mickey Mouse appeared in an Alpha Beta commercial. Mickey Mouse ended the commercial by saying "tell a friend" next to Popeye. Olive Oyl's voice also said, "Go shopping with Popeye at Alpha Beta" and "Tell A Friend" at the end of the commercial.
In the 1990s, Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, and Hulk Hogan were in an Alpha Beta commercial. Hulk Hogan ended it by saying, "Either you're at Alpha Beta or you're not" next to Bugs Bunny. Also in the 90s, Looney Tunes characters were in Alpha Beta commercials. Daffy Duck would say, "Join Looney Tunes at Alpha Beta," "Either you're at Alpha Beta or you're not," and "Tell A Friend."
