Collection context
Summary
- Creators:
- Abstract:
- The exact history and origin of Mayfair Markets is relatively unknown, although the earliest mention is from the stock market crash in 1929. According to the Gelson website, “In 1948, eight existing California stories run by the Mayfair Companies were merged with 43 California Van’s Markets, both owned by Arden Farms Co., to create a new chain of stores: Mayfair Markets”. In the 1960s, there were Mayfair Markets stretching up and down the west coast until they were eventually sold off to make way for the new supermarket stores. The 5075 Federal Boulevard Mayfair Market that first opened in July 1952, was set to reopen in 1959 after a 60-day, $100,000 remodel which included new lighting, a grocery gondola, a self-service bakery department, and new shopping carts, new automatic checkout stations, and garden shop, among other modernizations. At the time of the remodel, George Capris was the manager and Leonard Powers was the division manager of two other Mayfair Markets, with a planned expansion of three or four more stores in San Diego. Arden Farms/Mayfair Markets had 76 stores and 20 in the Sacramento, Tucson, San Diego area in 1959.
- Extent:
- 1 box, 1.3 cu. ft.
- Language:
- Preferred citation:
-
Mayfair Market Photograph Collection. San Diego Public Library
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This is collection of 17 cardboard photographs detailing what a grocery store was like in the 1940s-1960s. This Mayfair Market was located on 5075 Federal Boulevard, San Diego, California, 92102. The collection includes photographs that depict scenes of families shopping in the food aisle, the back-loading area, the storefront with empty carts and customers, stock boys stocking shelves, butchers handling meat, and a National Rambler being sold out in the front of the store. The back of each photograph contains a set of teaching questions that refer back to the grocery scene and a withdraw stamp over the number X3909, demonstrating that the photographs were previous teaching materials available with the public library that have been withdrawn from circulation.
- Acquisition information:
- Provenance is unknown, as is date of acquisition.
- Processing information:
-
Processed by Ana Corral, intern, March 2019, supervised by Richard W. Crawford, Supervisor with the Special Collections Department.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Collection is open for research.
- Terms of access:
-
San Diego Public Library can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any claims of the copyright holder. Permission to copy or publish any portion of San Diego Public Library's collection must be given by the San Diego Public Library.
- Preferred citation:
-
Mayfair Market Photograph Collection. San Diego Public Library
- Location of this collection:
-
330 Park Blvd.San Diego, CA 92101, US
- Contact:
- (619) 238-6668