What kid didn't lust after those roller conveyors? Only a few offbeat stores around here had them.
I can't speak for the above mentioned Co-Op but the ones in the east bay (primarily Berkeley) and Palo Alto were real co-ops, part of the largest such operation in the nation's history with over 100K members. I shopped at the Co-Op supermarket on Shattuck & Cedar in Berkeley with my sister once or twice (across from the only Peet's Coffee in existence at the time -- Mr. Peet himself would often wait on customers). The Co-Op cashiers would always ask, "Are you a member?" and I presume applied some sort of discount if you were. It all collapsed in the late '80s due to a board of directors that had been polarized for nearly 20 years.
When I first met Dave, he would often shop for groceries at Gemco, which was a discount store like Target but with a much more complete, full service grocery section with its own team of cashiers, likely operated by Lucky because both stores shared the same parent company. You could advise the cashier that you wanted to pick up your groceries, and they would send your bagged order to the rear of the store. We'd drive around back and they'd load them into the car.
Back in the olden days, most stores (department stores in particular) were only open one night a week, and that was always Thursday. Otherwise they closed at 6 PM. Sears was one of the last to start staying open late every weeknight. It wasn't until around 1970 that stores were open on Sunday, and those hours were abbreviated. It sounds quaint, particularly at this time of year when everybody remains open until Midnight, every night, through the bitter end of the holiday shopping frenzy.
