Supermarkets proliferated across Canada and the United States with the growth of automobile ownership and suburban development after World War II.
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| Inside supermarkets through decades |
Most North American supermarkets are located in suburban strip shopping centers as an anchor store along. Kroger is perhaps the most nationally oriented supermarket chain in the United States but it has preserved most of its regional brands, including Ralphs, City Market, King Soopers, Fry’s, Smith’s, and QFC.
In Canada, the largest such company is Loblaw, which operates stores under a variety of banners targeted to different segments and regions, including Fortinos, Zehrs, No Frills, the Real Canadian Superstore, and Loblaws, the foundation of the company. Sobeys is Canada’s second largest supermarket with locations across the country.
Take a look at these vintage photos to see what the food shopping experience looked like back from the 1950s to 1980s.
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| Woolworths Department Store, Main St, Southbridge, circa 1953 |
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| Woolworths Department Store, Main St, Southbridge, circa 1953 |
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| Cracker section, 1955 |
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| Kroger and strip mall, 1955 |
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| Mother shopping with daughter at Piggly Wiggly, circa 1960s |
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| Shopping with mom, 1960 |
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| Young boy paying for groceries, circa mid-1960s |
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| Picking out oranges, 1962 |
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| Dallas Kroger’s, 1965 |
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| Family shopping, 1966 |
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| Pudding aisle, 1966 |
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| Space age shopping, 1967 |
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| Food shopping, 1968 |
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| Kroger grocery store, 1968 |
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| Couple in dairy section, 1969 |
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| Happy Foods parade, circa late 1960s |
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| Food shopping and mini-skirts, 1970 |
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| Graceland shopping center, circa 1970s |
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| Grocery shopping small girl with mom, circa 1970s |
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| Shopping with grandma (Bazooka Gum!). Also original “Kung Fu” TV Show poster in background, circa 1970s |
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| Checkout lane, 1972 |
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| Checkout lane, 1972 |
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| Checkout lane, 1972 |
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| Checkout lane, 1972 |
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| Ice cream section, 1973 |
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| Food shopping in 1974 |
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| Alpha Beta supermarket, 1975 |
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| Shopping for groceries, 1975 |
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| Kohl's supermarket, 1976 |
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| Shopping in wine section, circa 1976 |
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| Supermarket checkout lanes, 1976 |
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| Shopping for peaches in a halter top, 1977 |
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| Finast supermarket, circa 1980s |
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| Supermarket cashiers, 1980 |
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| Check out lane, 1981 |
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| Fruit section, 1981 |
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| Shopping for pop, 1982 |
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| Stocking Tylenol, 1983 |
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| “Total Discounts Everyday!”, 1984 |
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| Safeway, 1989 |
I'm guessing the lady in photo no. 38 is removing the Tylenol from the shelf. That photo appears in several articles about the Tylenol poisoning scare of the early 1980s.
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