Fields Market Closing

[ClownLoach]

This store has been in hundreds of commercials and other TV use.

https://www.ocregister.com/2024/12/17/b ... cn4vvodcg1

[storewanderer]

It kind of looks like this store wasn't doing much sales volume.

Was some other store in this space before them?

[ClownLoach]

It kind of looks like this store wasn't doing much sales volume.

Was some other store in this space before them?

No idea. Looks like a neighborhood store, but it is very recognizable. I have to think a good portion of their profits were renting the store out to Hollywood producers and ad studios.

[storewanderer]

It kind of looks like this store wasn't doing much sales volume.

Was some other store in this space before them?

No idea. Looks like a neighborhood store, but it is very recognizable. I have to think a good portion of their profits were renting the store out to Hollywood producers and ad studios.

These types of stores are becoming more and more rare but they can actually be quite profitable with a heavily cost focused manager in place. Few employees, very curated assortment of items to the very basics and then do add ins based on regular customer requests. Those movie shoots that gave them lump payments probably were their main source of "bonuses." But at the end of the day they are in a leased building and losing the space so regardless how profitable they were I guess it is not even relevant thanks to the landlord.

[storewanderer]

Looking at the liquor license:
https://www.abc.ca.gov/licensing/licens ... ANOGA+PARK
First Alpha Beta liquor license is dated 1987, but store looks older than that to me.
Ran as Ralphs through 1999, then became "E L M INC Apple Market"
Changed ownership again in 2001, became "S R P Singh Corporation Cambridge Farms" until 2002.
Changed ownership again in 2002, became FIDAI, NIZAR NOOR MOHAMMAD Cambridge Farms," until 2003.
Then went to current owners.

Looks like store was lucky to land the current owners after the previous short term tenures of various owners.

Also appears the store had a pharmacy within the past 8 years. So this was a full perimeter offer in a very small store. I wonder if Ralphs did that or it came after they left?

[pseudo3d]

It opened as Alpha Beta in 1963, not the 1980s. So it looks like it converted/renamed to Ralphs in 1995, and then in 1999 became an independent.

[storewanderer]

It opened as Alpha Beta in 1963, not the 1980s. So it looks like it converted/renamed to Ralphs in 1995, and then in 1999 became an independent.

There were dozens of Ralphs like this in SoCal after the Alpha Beta conversions. These stores had no business being branded as Ralphs (too small in size, some obviously not this one were in very bad neighborhoods), but they were. Ralphs was in the process of aggressively closing these stores but it took many years to do it.

[ClownLoach]

Ironically this store is the fictitious SuperMarkup store in the current wave of Aldi TV commercials.

[storewanderer]

Ironically this store is the fictitious SuperMarkup store in the current wave of Aldi TV commercials.

Too bad UNFI/Supervalu wholesale operation lends to a store being able to play that role. They are sure failing these independent stores as a supplier.

[steps]

It opened as Alpha Beta in 1963, not the 1980s. So it looks like it converted/renamed to Ralphs in 1995, and then in 1999 became an independent.

There were dozens of Ralphs like this in SoCal after the Alpha Beta conversions. These stores had no business being branded as Ralphs (too small in size, some obviously not this one were in very bad neighborhoods), but they were. Ralphs was in the process of aggressively closing these stores but it took many years to do it.

Also after the Boys and ABC Market covenvertions as well. Converted to a bare minimum Ralphs with zero investments in those stores. I don't even think they received Ralphs decor. I remeber some of themk just having bare white walls. Of the stores left in the "bad" areas, they all become F4L, some very, very small F4L.