The Metro and the Mart, SoCal, 1962
First of all, how much are we lovin’ that gigantic lipstick red “T”? It must be visible half-way to outer space! Not to mention the whole name of the store, Thriftimart, set sky-bound on a signboard the size of a drive-in movie screen. But in case you want a more down-to- Earth view, not a problem. That friendly-yet-firm “handwritten” font also labels the front of the store. Imagine after dark when those signs blaze bright red neon light across that generous parking lot. This is supermarket super signage at its best.
But it’s America’s first, and most charming, compact car, the Nash Metropolitan, that steals this suburban super scene. It beckons us with its open door, two-tone paint and those adorable little semi-skirted white-wall tires and button caps. Co-posing with the cute little car is a Clark Kent wannabe. I wonder if he knows the Metropolitan was the first car marketed specifically to women and the original spokesperson was Miss America?
Metropolitans were designed and sold by the Nash Motor Company of Detroit. But unlike the vast majority of cars on the road at the time, it wasn’t made in the USA. Nash didn’t have the capability to produce such a small car cost effectively so they went to a company that did: Austin Motors of England manufactured nearly 10,000 Metropolitans between 1954 and 1962.
I had a Metropolitan once. But I had to sell it because I didn’t really fit in it. Either I was too tall or it was too small!
Here’s to Thriftimart, super signage, Metropolitans and YOU!
Charles Phoenix
July 8, 2010
Sadly, the Metro while cute, managed to combine all the worst aspects of Brit and American cars. It had a DEtuned MG engine, only 3 gears with the shifter growing out of the dash, bench seat that was very uncomfortable for three, and an unusable back seat. The only clever thing was that the doors were interchangeable.
Thanks for the wonderful photo! We’re fortunate to own two Metropolitans, a turquoise and white hardtop and a red and white convertible.
A small correction: Nash was not based in Detroit, but rather in Kenosha, Wisconsin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nash_Motors).
I sincerely hope I’m not just making this up, but I have a memory of going to a grocery story (I thought it was called Might T Mart) where you would check out, and your groceries would be put in plastic bins attached to a conveyer belt–the conveyer belt would rotate to the outside of the store and you could drive up and load in your items into your 1966 Volkswagon Fastback (that would be us) or whatever car you had.
I remember some very un-OSHA-minded employee allowing me to ride in the plastic bin with our groceries and my parents picking me up outside! I had to duck as we went through the low clearance of the wall as the bins exited the store. Lucky I was such an intrepid 3-year old that I had the sense not to get brained in the process!
This would be somewhere near Los Alamitos–does anyone remember that?
And does anyone remember Market Basket?
That’s quite a Thrifty Mart.
I remember seeing the large red NEON T’s from the freeway as a child from the backseat of my parents car.
I live very close to the former site of the Glassell Park T mart that was at Eagle Rock Boulevard and Avenue 40, now a pretty shoddy Rite-Aid.
I also grew up near a Thrifty Mart that was on La Tijera near Centinela in Westchester/Ladera Heights area.
It’s sad fun things like this are only a memory.
Thanks for the photo
I lived across the street from the ThriftMart in Rossmoor, CA. When you looked out the kitchen window you could see the big T. Lots of good ice cream with their unique cyclinder shaped scoop. They were the only ones who had that!
I am a metrophile. I grew up with the Thriftimart on the corner of Hacienda Blvd. and Gail which was on the border of La-Puente and Hacienda Heights. I can still sing the jingle. Of course I only heard the jingle a million times on radio station KFI. Anyone remember listening to the the Polka Parade? I don’t remember if it it aired on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. I’m pretty sure it also played on KFI.
OMG . . . we had one of these little Nash’s (ours was mint green and white)! My mom was driving it one day– and I was standing on the back seat (yes, standing)– and she had a fender-bender and I remember hitting the back of the passenger seat (which promptly collapsed forward) . . . we all survived . .. but that’s the last I remember of the Nash . . . and is it any wonder that cars today have so many safety features?? LOL!
Can’t anyone out there recognize where this was taken? I think there should be a contest….just because it says Southern California, doesn’t mean it was taken somewhere in LALA land! There was a Thriftymart in National City, San Diego County that looked just like this in the 1960′s. I bet it is that one, haha!
I believe this picture was taken in the Palos Verdes area. You could see the big red “T” from San Pedro.
Kevin P., can’t say that I remember the gizmo you are referring to, however, it would have been a treat to have seen it, I’m sure.
In the SGV, specifically in West Covina bordering w/La Puente -in fact in the same shopping center as the FABULOUS Bahooka Polynesian restaurant!- there was a Thriftimart on the corner of Francisquito and Sunset, and we used to refer to it as “the Big T” market, due to the enormous size of the “T” on the building. *sigh*
Good memories brought back.
I loved supermarkets as a kid. I remember living in Anaheim, CA, and somewhere near there my mom would take me shopping at a Thriftimart. Heck, it could have been that one! We had a 1961 Pontiac Safari wagon, which would have been a nice set piece to go with what appears to be a 1960 Pontiac in the background. The groceries fit nicely in there.
I remember my mom with her Arithma Calculator– http://www.xnumber.com/xnumber/pictr_arithma1.htm
counting up her purchases to stay on budget. I still have the original calculator, and 5 years ago bought a 1961 Safari.
That was such a great time period.
Here’s an odd piece of trivia. Either in California or shortly thereafter when we moved to Denver, this would be about 1965, the grocery store we went to had motorized little wheeled platforms with either an oversized Tide box or Cheerios box clipped to it. They would skuttle around the store and had “bump and go” which would allow them to bump off shelves and aisles, change direction, keep going. I would chase them all over the store. I imagine even back then the potential for lawsuits killed that little gimmick. I have searched high and low for anyone remembering that or seeing it, but to no avail! It was in either Thriftimart here in CA, or Safeway, Red Owl or King Soopers in Denver.
Thanks for letting me rant!
My first parent bought wheels when I was at White Plains [NY] High School was a red and white Nash Metro convertable. It was a great date car and my “steady” and I had pleanty of room for our late 50′s style make out times together [kissin' only - it was the 50's] every chance we could – but always at the Elmsford [NY] drive in on Saturday nights. Loved that car almost as much as her.
“That store reminds me of the current Ride Aide (formally Thrifty store) at the Northwest corner of Sawtelle Blvd and National Ave in West LA. ”
Good catch, Bob! I live near that shopping center and it does look like that Rite Aide at National & Sepulveda. Now I’m curious if that’s where this photo was taken.
This a fabulous photo! Gosh those were the coolest of days in history! Thanks so much for all you do to get a hold of all of these great photos Charles!
I don’t remember that type of Thriftymart sign. The Thriftymarts in the San Gabriel Valley in the late 50′s and 60′s all had very large red neon “T’s” on the corner of the stores. These T’s were visible all across the valley during a Santa Ana when the smog was blown away. You could see 3 of them spread across the SG valley from our house in what later became became Hacienda Hts. Plus the old Miller High life sign in Azusa would also be visible… I also had a friend that had those Metro’s in the early 70′s a Yellow and white one.
I remember the Thriftimart on Roscoe in Canoga Park. It had the big red T. They had one in Santa Monica, too.
We moved to Rossmoor, CA in the early 60′s. I wonder if this is where the slide was shot. I loved that red font & the giant T. The store is a Von’s now. Boring!
What a beautiful shot! More pics with great old signs – those are my favorites. Love the old shopping plazas too.
You never see that spectacular late 50′s/early 60′s turquoise any more. My aunt and uncle had their living room painted that color. That color rattles my chromosomes.
I remember the Thriftimart here in Highland Park on Eagle Rock Blvd, it was where the 2 (Glendale) freeway came to a dead end. You could see that giant “T” from a long way off. Great store. Great car but yes they were cramped and tiny. Very narrow tire track too making them top heavy. But good looking.
OK, Charles, tell the truth: that’s YOU standing next to the Metropolitan, right? Am I the only one who sees a resemblance??
My grandmother would often break into song as she clomped around the kitchen in Cuban heels—although her lyric recall was never the greatest. Whenever the Thrifitmart ad would pop into head, she’d belt out: WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU DO IN YOUR CART, YOU SAVE AND SAVE AT THRIFTIMART!
Thanks for the great entertainment and visual preservation, Charles.
Charles,
Bob and I SO appreciate your slides each week. Some day we’ll go through our archives and send you a few! Or maybe we’ll put you in the will, “Heir of the slides.”
I just found an old KFWB soundcheck…and heard another part of the Thriftymart jingle:
“Whatever you put in your shopping cart you’ll save and save at Thriftymart ’cause every day’s a special day, yes every day’s a special day at Thriftymart, THRIFTYMART!”
The jingle on Color Radio KFWB (Channel 98) that frequently sponsored the news:
“Everyday’s a thrifty day at Thriftymart (THRIFTYMART!) Everyday’s a special day for you…Everything you put in your cart you save and save at THRIFTYMART…Where everyday’s a special day for you!”
I’m with Tom in LB – we gotta see that photo of you and your Metro. Next we’re going to find out that you had a Corvair at one point. Oh, wait, that’s me. Still do – two of ‘em.
Notice that that store is so big, it also has a Van De Kamp’s bakery in it. Yum-O!
Look at the odd collection of cars in this parking lot, there are two Rambler wagons, an old Oldsmobile. Wow. And who would wear a tie to go to the equivalent of WalMart in 2010? Times have changed.
Charles – My brother Bill was 6’5″ and was quite a sight unraveling from his red Metropolitan with its black roof. One time driving back to Boston from PA, he got caught in traffic on Storrow Drive and had to go to the bathroom really bad. Well, during a traffic slowdown, he relieved himself in a coffee can, then looked up from his little Nash to see a busload of folks who had pulled up alongside! I believe he was as red as his Nash Metropolitan. The story was entertaining to the family, tho!
That store reminds me of the current Ride Aide (formally Thrifty store) at the Northwest corner of Sawtell Blvd and National Ave in West LA.
I love the Nash Metropolitan, but didn’t know that it was made in England. I saw my first Nash Metro up close at Associated Auto Supply in East LA back in the late 1980s. I’ve always liked the compacts of the 60s such as the Chevy II/Nova, Falcon, Plymouth Valiant/Dodge Dart, and Chevy Corvair. By today’s standards, they pretty big.
“I had a Metropolitan once. ”
Charles, after such a revelation, I think that we REQUIRE that you provide a photo of you and your (former) Metropolitan.
I love the optimistic late 50s colors in this shot.
They still had Thriftimarts when I was a kid. I remember riding in the car at night on the freeway and seeing those red Ts in the distance.