In the 1920s, Susanville’s retail community was undergoing many changes, due to a number of factors. Slowly creeping in where chain stores, many who thought they were a menace to the community. One of the many concerns with chain stores, that there would be a loss of individuality. Whatever the case may be, there was nothing any one could do to prevent the chain stores encroaching in the community.
It was on December 15, 1928, that Safeway opened a grocery store in Susanville. They found a place readily available in the Telephone Building, located on the northeast corner of Main and Gay Streets. It had recently been vacated by Stones Cash & Carry, another chain grocery store. To manage the store, S.F. Christensen of Carson City took over the reins and T.R. Mitchell from Sacramento was in charge of the meat department. The company made sure that it was duly noted that Skaggs’ Safeway boasted that it had 1500 stores in 15 western states, so they could stock more items than any store in town.