Vignette > Safeway

In 1930, Safeway opened a store on the corner of Throckmorton and Bernard. In 1938 Safeway moved to a newly erected building on the corner of Sunnyside and East Blithedale. An editorial in the Mill Valley Record reported that it was the first Drive-in Market in Southern Marin. “Mill Valley and Southern Marin have come of age. Light—lots of clean white light—convenience, and service are the obvious attributes of the new market. Safeway stores do a unique thing—they bring their own parking space with them.”  In 1955 Safeway moved to its present location on the corner of Miller and Camino Alto. The Mill Valley Record reported, “Thousands Visit Magnificent New Safeway Store. Featuring rear-loading wall sections on an unprecedented scale, plus practically every innovation available to the modern supermarket operator, Safeway opened its newest location. Total area is 21,487 square feet, of which some 16,000 is selling space, Approach to the store is from a paved, curbed and floodlighted parking lot for 223 cars. Customers enter and leave via Magic Carpet doors, two on each side. Eight mechanical check stands are equipped with the latest type of cash registers that automatically compute change and refunds, subtract as well as add.”