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The 1920s

The Early Days (The 1920s):

Safeway Stores was born in Los Angeles just before World War I as the Sam Seelig Company. The Safeway we know today was created with the 1926 merger of Marion Skaggs' 673 Skaggs' Cash Stores in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest with the 600 Southern California Safeway stores of the Sam Seelig Co. This legendary merger, was orchestrated by Charles Merrill of Merrill Lynch.

Mostly through acquisitions, the chain spread like wildfire across America with its primary growth and orientation in the plains and western states. Chains acquired included MacMarr (a California chain also assembled by Charles Merrill), Sanitary (Washington DC), and Burd (Kansas City). The company also acquired the west coast Piggly Wiggly stores in 1928. Most acquired chains retained their own names until the mid 1930s. The Canadian division was established in 1929.

As was the practice at the time, stores sold mostly prepared and packaged items, with perhaps a limited selection of fresh produce and meats. The average store size was less than 1000 square feet. And served a primarily neighborhood clientele in conjunction with nearby butchers, greengrocers, and bakeries. But Safeway was a leader in the trend toward combination stores, with 855 of its 2020 locations containing meat markets in addition to grocery staples in 1928.

Major competitors nationwide included A&P, Kroger, American, National, and First National. Safeway operated 2340 stores nationwide as the 1920s ended. Sales in 1929 were $203 million.

In San Francisco:

Skaggs Cash Stores came to San Francisco in 1925, with locations at 1175 Market and 2584 Mission. In 1927, the San Francisco stores assumed the Safeway name and increased significantly in number. Other San Francisco locations in 1928 included:

Most locations were along streetcar strips in relatively suburban areas, with the developing Outer Mission, Richmond, and Sunset Districts being particular favorites. None had dedicated parking. A significant number appear to be purpose-built single-story structures with a similar architecture, although some stores were located in existing multistory buildings.

Chain stores were just arriving in San Francisco and Safeway competed with Mutual Stores (later MacMarr), Public, Pac Coast, and its own Piggly Wiggly franchise stores, along with many independent markets. As the 1920s closed, Safeway was operating 26 stores in San Francisco.

On to the 1930s...