Alpha Beta

Alpha Beta

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (Supermarkets)
Founded	1917 in Pomona, California, United States
Founder	Albert Gerrard, Hugh Gerrard
Defunct	1995
Fate	Acquired and rebranded by various companies including American Stores, Skaggs Drug Centers, ABCO Foods, Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Ralphs, and Lucky Stores
Headquarters	Pomona , United States
Area served	Southwestern United States
Products	Groceries and general merchandise

Alpha Beta was a supermarket chain operating primarily in the Southwestern United States from 1917 until 1995. Over time, all former Alpha Beta locations were acquired by other grocery companies and underwent rebranding.

History

Template:Pic Prior to becoming a store name, Alpha Beta originated as a merchandising strategy developed by Albert and Hugh Gerrard. This concept involved arranging grocery items in alphabetical order. The Gerrards first implemented this system at their main store, Triangle Grocerteria, in 1915.

In 1917, the inaugural Alpha Beta store opened in Pomona, situated in eastern Los Angeles County, California. Alongside the grocery stores, the company also established a chain of coffee shops called Alphy's—a casual adaptation of the Alpha Beta name—with numerous locations throughout Southern California. These coffee shops were eventually sold off, with many converting into Denny's restaurants.

American Stores acquired the company in 1961. Later, in 1979, Skaggs Drug Centers purchased American Stores but retained its name. The combined food and drug outlets within Alpha Beta's market areas were rebranded as Skaggs Alpha Beta. In 1984, American Stores expanded further by acquiring The Jewel Companies, Inc., which had owned Osco Drug since 1961.

File:Alpha Beta supermarket in Santa Ana CA in 1974.jpg

An Alpha Beta location in Santa Ana, California, circa 1974

That same year, all 34 Alpha Beta supermarkets located in Arizona were sold to ABCO Foods but continued operating under the Alpha Beta banner. By approximately 1989, stores branded as Alpha Beta in Tucson transitioned to ABCO branding.

Certain Alpha Beta outlets offered merchandise beyond typical supermarket products. For instance, a Cupertino store in 1980 retailed items such as Bohsei color televisions priced below $200 (equivalent to about $today), Atari 400 and 800 computers, among other goods.

In September 1991, Skaggs-Alpha Beta renamed its 76 stores across Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arkansas to Jewel-Osco as part of an effort to consolidate various subsidiaries under a widely recognized national brand. Shortly thereafter, Albertsons acquired several of these stores located in Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas.

By 1994, Yucaipa Companies—then owner of the Southern California Alpha Beta stores—purchased Ralphs Grocery Company. Subsequently, all Southern California Alpha Beta locations were rebranded as Ralphs or Food 4 Less. The Alpha Beta brand was completely phased out by September 1995.

Alpha Beta stores situated in Northern California and San Diego County were taken over by Lucky Stores, which was later acquired by Albertsons and subsequently rebranded again. In 2006, many Northern California stores were sold to Save Mart Supermarkets after it obtained rights to use the Lucky brand and logo from Albertsons; these locations were eventually converted back to the Lucky name.

Advertising

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Alan Hamel served as the television spokesperson for Alpha Beta supermarkets throughout California. While the chain employed various taglines such as "You Can't Lose" and "The Savings Don't Stop," each commercial featuring Hamel concluded with his signature phrase inviting viewers to "tell a friend."

External links

• Groceteria.com: Alpha Beta Historical Overview
• Official Ralphs Website