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In 1921 Ross & Ross had local builder Gus Waller construct an automobile <br />garage on one of the lots (D.M. Flynn's Ford Agency), and on the other lot, they <br />had Gus Waller build a retail store with two entrances for their tenant the <br />Sunshine Grocery Store Chain. Waller began construction in February 1922 and <br />the store opened in June 1922. <br />Known as "The Better Chain Store"' Sunshine Grocery Co. had six stores from <br />San Mateo to Mountain View. The chain store concept was a pretty new one. <br />This building was to be their 'showplace'. It would have the most modern <br />equipment and was very unique in that it was 'department-ized'... it had a meat <br />market and delicatessen (you entered a separate door), plus canned goods and <br />dry goods, a bakery, and a fruit and vegetable stand. All this was in one store, <br />with two entrances. Their main warehouse was at the end of Main Street, next to <br />the creek. Another unique feature, which the store advertised, was a ladies <br />restroom (an almost unheard of feature downtown). <br />In 1927 Sunshine Grocery sold out its entire chain of groceries, including the <br />Redwood City store, to Purity Stores, Inc. According to the newspapers, it was <br />strictly a cash sale, the largest business transaction to date (1927) in the history <br />of the <br />Peninsula. <br />The store then became a Purity Market, the first location in Redwood City. Purity <br />ran this store from 1927-1946, when the new building they were constructing <br />across the street, since demolished, was ready to open. After Purity moved out, a <br />new tenant was obtained. <br />In 1946-47, E.W. Young opened up his auto parts store in the left side of the <br />building and shared the other half with an automotive machine shop. For all <br />these years since, Young Auto Parts and a machine shop have operated in the <br />old grocery store built by Gus Waller in 1922. <br />Worth noting: The 'chain store' concept of having meat, produce, dry goods, and <br />canned goods all in one store revolutionized the grocery business. Previously, <br />the shopper went to different store locations: to the butcher, to the produce <br />stand, etc. <br />Sources: <br />•Richard Schellens Collection, Redwood City Library Local History Room <br />•Redwood City Directories,s 1920-1973 <br />•Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: 1891, 1919, 1945 <br />•Main Street to Miracle Mile, by Chester H. Liebs. <br />•Redwood City Tribune, May 2, 1923 <br />•Redwood City Standard, various issues in 1922 <br />Page 50 <br />7.B. - Page 61