The Disappearing Mid-Century Modern Safeways
One of the mid-century modern “Marina”-style Safeways in the area will be disappearing. This one on Georgia Avenue and Reedie Drive in Wheaton, most likely from the 1960s, will be replaced with with a mixed-used development.
The Marina name comes from the the first Safeway of this design on Marina Boulevard in San Francisco. ”Safeway stores from the late 1950s and early 1960s are some of the most easily-identifiable structures on the west coast,” David Gwynn writes at groceteria.com. ”A classic and simple modern design, with three main variations, these stores look as clean and fresh today as the day they opened. Many of these stores, such as San Francisco’s Marina Boulevard location (the first such store in June 1959), continue to operate with only minor exterior modifications forty years after their construction.”
If you want to visit one in its vintage state, head to the store further down on Georgia Avenue here in DC (see images below) or this one on University Boulevard in Silver Spring. While many of us appreciate the architecture and are sad to see it disappear, there is a larger discussion of the issues surrounding why some Safeways are redeveloped while others remain in their original state or close to it. Do you know other vintage stores, ones that have been altered or ultimately lost?
The Staples store at Seminary Plaza on the west side of Georgia Avenue just inside the Beltway is an updated “Marina” Safeway. Safeway moved out and Staples moved in when Safeway opened a new store in downtown Silver Spring.
I fondly remember the one in Kensington, with its funky conveyor belt from the checkout to the pickup area outside. The new one is completely generic.
I live a few blocks from this store. While I love the architecture, it was a lousy supermarket. The freezers were often broken, poor management, expensive, etc. It was basically only good if I needed to pick up milk on the way home from Metro.
Mike, I think the Four Corners Safeway is a “Marina” model also. On University Blvd W at Colesville Rd. While I love the design (and I really miss the Wheaton Safeway for 6 a.m. school-day grocery runs), Megan is right — the Wheaton store was poorly maintained. As with the Four Corners store, the unique design wasn’t appreciated or maintained, and it looked seriously junky. I won’t love the design of the new store, but at least it will look good and be kept up.