Simon David
| Company type | Grocer, Division of Tom Thumb |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1889 |
| Defunct | Template:End date and age |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas |
Key people | TBA |
Number of employees | TBA |
| Parent | Randalls (1992-1999) Safeway Inc. (1999-2010) |
Prior to its closure in 2010, Simon David held the distinction of being Dallas's longest-standing gourmet and specialty food retailer. The brand operated as a specialty division under Tom Thumb Supermarkets. In 1992, Tom Thumb became part of Randalls, which was subsequently incorporated into Safeway Inc.’s portfolio as a division comprising 112 stores in 1999.
History
Template:Unreferenced section Established by its namesake founder Simon David in 1889, the store was Dallas’s pioneer in offering out-of-season and imported food products through retail and delivery services. Initially housed in a modest brick building adjacent to David’s residence within the historic State Thomas area of Uptown Dallas, the business relocated during the 1920s to a larger site at 4311 Oak Lawn Avenue. Under the leadership of Delmer David, Simon David’s second-generation owner, the company expanded its reach by launching a wholesale operation alongside dedicated packing and shipping facilities that enabled nationwide distribution. The third outlet debuted on October 19, 1961, situated on Inwood Road. At this location, Stanley M. David, the founder’s grandson, introduced Dallas’s first grocery store liquor department before divesting the franchise to Tom Thumb in 1963. A more spacious building replaced the original Inwood Road site in 1985 while retaining the same address. Although Tom Thumb later promoted Simon David as a statewide brand, only the Inwood Road store continued operating under its original name.
Randall's Food Markets
In 1992, Randall's Food Markets from Houston acquired Tom Thumb along with its Simon David division. Randall's maintained both Tom Thumb and Simon David branding within the Dallas/Fort Worth region; however, in January 1994, it rebranded the seven Austin-based Tom Thumb locations to Randall's following its acquisition of nine former AppleTree Markets. The Simon David store located in the Arboretum Market, which opened in 1987, was excluded from this conversion but eventually closed in December 1996. This site was subsequently transformed into a Saks Fifth Avenue store before being redeveloped into a Trader Joe's outlet in 2014. Despite customer disappointment over losing Austin's sole Simon David location, Randall's responded by inaugurating its first Flagship Randall's supermarket at its Bee Caves store in 1998—marking both Austin’s inaugural Flagship store and the chain’s eighth overall.
Safeway
In 1999, Safeway took over Randall's along with its Tom Thumb and Simon David subsidiaries. The company chose to keep the Randall's brand active in the Houston and Austin markets, while maintaining the Tom Thumb and Simon David names within the Dallas/Fort Worth region. In May 2010, Safeway revealed intentions to convert the Inwood Road store—the final location operating under the Simon David name—into a Tom Thumb outlet, subject to obtaining necessary permits.
References
- Uptown Dallas Historic Uptown Dallas/Simon David
- Simon David expansion plans revealed on anniversary, The Dallas Morning News, October 10, 1960.
- New Simon David opens tomorrow, The Dallas Morning News, October 18, 1961.
- Simon David notes its 74th anniversary, The Dallas Morning News, February 24, 1963.
- Cullum Co. buys David food store, The Dallas Morning News, September 28, 1963.
External links
- Tom Thumb Food & Pharmacy Official website
- Official mobile site
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