I was standing in line at a Fry's Grocery Store today, and I began thinking about the old grocery stores we used to have her in Arizona. I can still recall walking the aisles in the ABCO at 35th ave and Glendale with my mom and hearing that over the loudspeaker. I also remember the televisions in the dairy aisle (im sure they were elsewhere too) that had commericals for "America's Funniest Home Videos." I remember Danny Tanner (the name I knew Bob Saget by in those days) laughing, and the footage of a black dog, possibly a lab, and a blue kiddy pool and green grass. I have no idea what the hell was going on in the video. I also remember the girl at the deli counter reminded me of Nicole Sullivan from Mad TV (that was during the Desert Market years)
I think the location at glendale and 7th st(or ave? its by the 51) had little carts for the kids to use.
I remember Mega Foods also. How the aisles were stacked high with products, seemed like a warehouse. Seemed kinda gross to me, at an early age. We went to the one at 43rd Ave and Indian School, in the "West Phoenix Plaza." Its blue and has like weird metal frames around the anchor store entrances. I remember the commericals and how you had to bag your own groceries at the store. I really looked forward to doing that when I was old, but the stores were bought out before I ever got a chance to do that.
Oh and Smiths. Nothing really spectacular stuck out to me, a recent visit to a Smiths in Albuquerque seemed like the Smiths we used to have...just a regualr grocery store. I do rememeber the picture of the owner over the entrance to the store. It was faded, and I think he was from Utah. I always wanted to have that picture in my room.
But my favorite, Smitty's. Man, that was the store. A grocery store combined with the extra stuff you would need for your home, and on top of that, a full service restaurant and, AND, a pizza place. (I think ice cream and candy as well) I remember going there with my parents and shopping for groceries first, then getting pizza on the way out. I dont remember much about the restaurant, just a pale gold, yellow and blue color scheme, and the old men who sat by the window drinking coffee from a cup. At 35th and Bethany Home, there was an old shopping center next to it as well, seemed futuristic to me (as a little kid) but at the same time was musty and worn out. I remember alot of concrete over hangs at the "plaza." All concrete. I recall my father taking me into some weird old Toy shop, maybe it was a comic book store, but it was creepy and smelled bad. It had yellow carpeting and lots of dusty olf action figures. I seem to recall mostly Star Wars. Mostly kids in there. If my memory serves me correct, It got torn down pretty soon after that.
Then Smitty's became Fred Meyer. Didnt like it as much, especially not after they closed the restaurant and pizza express. I remember plywood covering the restaurant/pizza entrance, it was painted white. My mom told me it would re-open, and we would be able to get pizza again.
It never did.
I decided to take a break from the decay and promote Gallup, New Mexico. I like Gallup. I won't go into the history of Gallup too much, this site sums it up pretty well. Basically it is a railroad town. It is also known for its place in Route 66 history (in the song) and for some of its sites. I have already talked about the Shalimar Inn and its current state, but there are some other interesting things to see there. 
motel anymore, it seems like it acts as an apartment building. About a third of the units seem occupied, but the rest seem deserted and closed for many years, obviously a haven for drunks and drug dealers, etc. The rooms that are abandoned seemed like they were simply closed and not rented out anymore, one room was open and everything seemed in order, except the ceiling had fallen in, and the wood siding was warped and a thick layer of dust and mold covered everything.
