Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part II (Austin: snake, expensive)

[69GSstage1]

Originally Posted by SATX56

Uh...Handy Andy's aren't what they used to be. Their prices are way off the chart. More like a pricier convenience store nowadays. Sadly there's one closer to me than several nearby HEB's.

Who remembers Magnamart? There was one at IH 35 North and Eisenhauer Rd, opened back in '77. Their claim to fame was low prices. No bakery or deli. Customers would bag their own groceries. Lasted until about '80 when the store became Eagle. Didn't last very long, closed about the same time Kroger came to San Antonio. Who would have thought there would only be one supermarket chain in San Antonio?

[huckster]

I remember the all the different trading stamps from the grocers but had forgotten that joke completley, from Elementary school days.
Funny, how some items can stay in our memory.
I know the Butt family is among the wealthiest on earth, I just read it the other day. I think they ranked as the 450th ?

Originally Posted by outafocus

Handy Andy was a class act when former mayor Charles Becker owned it. After he sold out, the quality seemed to go down dramatically.

I remember Handy Andy gave Top Value trading stamps. HEB gave Texas Gold, and Piggly Wiggly gave S&H Green stamps.

I remember when I was a 4th grader, one of my favorite jokes was "Did you hear Piggly Wiggly, and HEB are going to merge? The stores will be renamed Wiggly Butt".

[*mud*]

Originally Posted by outafocus

.

******

I remember when I was a 4th grader, one of my favorite jokes was "Did you hear Piggly Wiggly, and HEB are going to merge?

The stores will be renamed Wiggly Butt".

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the way I heard it from my Grandmother in the 1950s

it was Handy Andy Piggly Wiggly and HEB

...............Andy's Wiggly Butt...............
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[ged_782]

Originally Posted by outafocus

Handy Andy was a class act when former mayor Charles Becker owned it. After he sold out, the quality seemed to go down dramatically.

I remember reading an article years ago about the San Antonio grocery store market, where Charles Becker said he thought they made Handy Andy the Rolls Royce of grocery stores in San Antonio, and that when the subsequent owners took over, they took that Rolls and made it into a dump truck.

I'd say Handy Andy would probably have been considered the dominant grocery chain in San Antonio until the late 1970s, with HEB a close second up to that time.

[outafocus]

I have a 1968 San Antonio phone book. In 1968 there were 30 Handy Andys, 22 HEBs, and 18 Piggly Wigglys.

Soon after Charles Becker sold the Handy Andys, I saw him shopping at Pen Foods at Callaghan and I-10.

I patronized the Magnamart on San Pedro. It also became an Eagle Supermarket. They were non union, and I had to cross a picket line a few times to get my groceries.

I once ran into Earl Holliman shopping at the Eagle on San Pedro. We were waiting in the check out line together. He was friendly and chatted with my wife and me while in line.

[SATX56]

Originally Posted by 69GSstage1

Who remembers Magnamart? There was one at IH 35 North and Eisenhauer Rd, opened back in '77. Their claim to fame was low prices. No bakery or deli. Customers would bag their own groceries. Lasted until about '80 when the store became Eagle. Didn't last very long, closed about the same time Kroger came to San Antonio. Who would have thought there would only be one supermarket chain in San Antonio?

There was a Magna Mart a block south of Military Drive on South Flores. It later became Eagle ...now it's an unemployment office I believe.

Who would have thought there would only be one supermarket chain in San Antonio?

It's big enough for more than one chain. It's a shame Wal-Mart is HEB's only real competitor.

[huckster]

Could keep pace with H.E.B. Kroger, Albertson's and Handy Andy, Piggly Wiggly, Model Market all have tried to. They must be doing something right.
Albertson's was far more expensive as I remember it.

Originally Posted by ged_782

I remember reading an article years ago about the San Antonio grocery store market, where Charles Becker said he thought they made Handy Andy the Rolls Royce of grocery stores in San Antonio, and that when the subsequent owners took over, they took that Rolls and made it into a dump truck.

I'd say Handy Andy would probably have been considered the dominant grocery chain in San Antonio until the late 1970s, with HEB a close second up to that time.

[Lee W.]

I remember when they opened an Albertson's at 1604 and Bandera Rd. Then after a while H.E.B. decided to build on the other side inside 1604, started to clear, then stopped construction. The story I heard then was that the contractor failed to pull a permit and they had to wait another year, don't know if that's true. But eventually H.E.B. was built. Later, Albertson's left S.A. Now, I kind of miss Albertson's. The SuperTarget is there, but it's more limited. We need good, healthy competition.

[SATX56]

Albertson's had some good points but were pricey. They did have good sale prices though. Kroger's I forget just too far back. Super Target's I haven't gotten into ..I feel like Target in general has gone down somewhat. However recent visits have me thinking a bit better of them. Still not buying food there though.

[Willsatx]

Originally Posted by Lee W.

I remember when they opened an Albertson's at 1604 and Bandera Rd. Then after a while H.E.B. decided to build on the other side inside 1604, started to clear, then stopped construction. The story I heard then was that the contractor failed to pull a permit and they had to wait another year, don't know if that's true. But eventually H.E.B. was built. Later, Albertson's left S.A. Now, I kind of miss Albertson's. The SuperTarget is there, but it's more limited. We need good, healthy competition.

Did you mean Bandera-410? I remember heb opening behind albertsons around 1991.