There’s a lot to be said for a well-designed, back-lit sign that helps to make a store’s signage really stand out at night. Well, that and the tubular neon lighting. This is an Alpha Beta supermarket at 315 N. Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, sometime in the 1940s. According to Wikipedia, the novelty of this chain of stores was that its groceries were organized alphabetically. Does anyone remember that? It sure would make it easier to find the apricots, the ketchup, the pineapple juice, and the zucchini.
Nighttime shot of Alpha Beta supermarket, 315 N. Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, California, early 1940s
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Not sure where that shot was taken, but here are two other Alpha Beta supermarkets, also taken by Doug White for Southern California Edison.
Santa Ana:
https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p16003coll2/id/10805/rec/1
Temple City:
https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p16003coll2/id/9778/rec/7
(Here is a link to the shot in the post:
https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p16003coll2/id/10647/rec/10
with full resolution here:
https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/iiif/p16003coll2/10647/full/full/0/default.jpg)
Martin, It looks like the market that was used in the movie Double Indemnity If so it would have been in Los Feliz across the street from the original Disney Studio on Hypernia St. Not sure but that is my guess.
I believe that they actually shot the market scene at Jerry’s Market at 5330 Melrose Ave but referred to it as Los Feliz.
Isn’t 5330 Melrose the Paramount lot?
I am very sure that the market they used was the one I mentioned across from the old Disney Studio. Just not sure of the name
I was told by a close friend of mine who lives in Los Feliz that the store that is there now was the same store used in the movie.
I took my info from the Los Angeles Conservancy website which says the exteriors were shot at Jerry’s market at 5330 Melrose, which is indeed across the street from Paramount.
https://www.laconservancy.org/sites/default/files/images/LRS/JeanLaughtonTour-DoubleIndemnity.pdf
Very cool to know it’s right there. Thanks Martin
You are right as usual Martin. Thanks for the update and the site where you got your info. I just loved that movie.
Zucchini or squash?
Soup or Tomato soup?
Cereal or Wheaties?
If they really alphabetized, for how long?
Well, yes, exactly! And that probably explains why not many supermarkets organized themselves that way.