Alpha Beta
Encyclopedia
Alpha Beta was a chain of supermarket
s. Former Alpha Beta stores have all been purchased by other grocery chains and rebranded.
. The company was bought by American Stores
in 1961. Skaggs Drug Centers
bought American Stores in 1979 and assumed the American Stores name. Combined food and drug stores in Alpha Beta territory were re-branded as Skaggs Alpha Beta. In 1984, American Stores bought The Jewel Companies, Inc., which had owned Osco Drug
since 1961. In 1984, all 34 Alpha Beta stores in Arizona
were sold to ABCO Foods
, and the stores continued operating under the Alpha Beta name. In Tucson
, Alpha Beta-branded stores changed to ABCO-branded stores around 1989.
Some Alpha Beta stores carried more than the customary supermarket merchandise. For example, in 1980, a Cupertino, California
, Alpha Beta store sold Bohsei color TVs for under $200, Atari
400 and 800 computers, and other goods.
In September 1991, Skaggs-Alpha Beta re-branded its 76 stores in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas as Jewel-Osco, in an attempt to unify some of its subsidiaries under one nationally recognized name. Months later, Albertsons bought some of the Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas stores.
Most remaining Alpha Beta stores in the United States were taken over by Lucky
brand, which in turn became Albertsons, then Lucky again. Most stores in southern California were acquired by Ralphs
.
In the late 1970s, Alan Hamel
was the television spokesman for the Alpha Beta grocery stores in California; its slogan was "Tell a Friend."
In 1994, Yucaipa Companies, then owner of the Alpha Beta chain in southern California, purchased Ralphs Grocery Company
and renamed itself after Ralphs. All existing Alpha Beta stores in the state were rebranded as Ralphs or Food 4 Less, and the Alpha Beta name ceased to exist by September 1995.
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s. Former Alpha Beta stores have all been purchased by other grocery chains and rebranded.
History
Before Alpha Beta was the name a of store, it was the name of a marketing concept used in grocery stores founded by Albert and Hugh Gerrard; it referred to organizing the groceries in the store in alphabetical order. The Gerrards applied this idea to their flagship grocery store, Triangle Grocerteria, in 1915. Then in 1917, they opened the first Alpha Beta store in Pomona, CaliforniaPomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
. The company was bought by American Stores
American Stores
American Stores Company was an American public corporation and a holding company which ran chains of supermarkets and drugstores in the United States from 1917 through 1999...
in 1961. Skaggs Drug Centers
Skaggs Companies
The Skaggs Companies, Inc. was the predecessor to many famous United States retailing chains, including Safeway, Albertsons, Osco Drug, and Longs Drugs. The company owned several drugstore chains, but all of them were sold. Skaggs became American Stores in 1979.-Safeway:The first company was based...
bought American Stores in 1979 and assumed the American Stores name. Combined food and drug stores in Alpha Beta territory were re-branded as Skaggs Alpha Beta. In 1984, American Stores bought The Jewel Companies, Inc., which had owned Osco Drug
Osco Drug
Osco Drug is a chain of pharmacy stores which today operate as in-store pharmacies under SuperValu Pharmacies. Osco Pharmacy is found in Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Shaw's and Star Market, while Sav-on Pharmacy is found in Acme and Albertsons. Since 2006, Osco is a wholly owned subsidiary of...
since 1961. In 1984, all 34 Alpha Beta stores in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
were sold to ABCO Foods
ABCO Foods
ABCO Foods was a chain of grocery stores in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona for over 15 years, formed from a mid-1980s spin-off sale by the Alpha Beta division of American Stores. The Arizona regional management secured private financing to purchase the Arizona stores...
, and the stores continued operating under the Alpha Beta name. In Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, Alpha Beta-branded stores changed to ABCO-branded stores around 1989.
Some Alpha Beta stores carried more than the customary supermarket merchandise. For example, in 1980, a Cupertino, California
Cupertino, California
Cupertino is an affluent suburban city in Santa Clara County, California in the U.S., directly west of San Jose on the western edge of the Santa Clara Valley with portions extending into the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The population was 58,302 at the time of the 2010 census. Forbes...
, Alpha Beta store sold Bohsei color TVs for under $200, Atari
Atari
Atari is a corporate and brand name owned by several entities since its inception in 1972. It is currently owned by Atari Interactive, a wholly owned subsidiary of the French publisher Atari, SA . The original Atari, Inc. was founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney. It was a pioneer in...
400 and 800 computers, and other goods.
In September 1991, Skaggs-Alpha Beta re-branded its 76 stores in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas as Jewel-Osco, in an attempt to unify some of its subsidiaries under one nationally recognized name. Months later, Albertsons bought some of the Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas stores.
Most remaining Alpha Beta stores in the United States were taken over by Lucky
Lucky Stores
Lucky Stores is an American supermarket chain founded in Alameda County, California in 1935. Lucky is currently operated by SuperValu in Southern California and Nevada and by Save Mart in Northern California and Nevada.In 1998, Lucky's parent company, American Stores, was taken over by Albertsons,...
brand, which in turn became Albertsons, then Lucky again. Most stores in southern California were acquired by Ralphs
Ralphs
Ralphs is a major supermarket chain in the Southern California area and the largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger. It is the oldest such chain west of the Mississippi River. Ralphs also operates stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. names in California.-History:Ralphs Grocery Company...
.
In the late 1970s, Alan Hamel
Alan Hamel
Alan Hamel was the co-host of a Canadian children's television show called Razzle Dazzle from 1961 to 1964. The show featured a talking turtle named Howard.Hamel was born in Toronto, Ontario...
was the television spokesman for the Alpha Beta grocery stores in California; its slogan was "Tell a Friend."
In 1994, Yucaipa Companies, then owner of the Alpha Beta chain in southern California, purchased Ralphs Grocery Company
Ralphs
Ralphs is a major supermarket chain in the Southern California area and the largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger. It is the oldest such chain west of the Mississippi River. Ralphs also operates stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. names in California.-History:Ralphs Grocery Company...
and renamed itself after Ralphs. All existing Alpha Beta stores in the state were rebranded as Ralphs or Food 4 Less, and the Alpha Beta name ceased to exist by September 1995.