BEACH’S MARKET—ANOTHER DOWNEY BUSINESS ICON—ANNOUNCES ITS DEMISE
By The Downey Patriot
Citing a sluggish economy and a competitive business market, two more Downey businesses, Beach’s Market and Alin’s Party Depot, have collapsed, as an intransigent recession continues to cripple local restaurants, supermarkets and retail centers.
Sambi of Tokyo, a fixture among Downey eateries since it opened on Firestone Boulevard nearly 40 years ago, closed on Oct. 24.
Established in the early 1950s as one of Downey’s first supermarkets, Beach’s Market supplied local residents with meat, fresh produce and dairy decades before major markets came into the city.
But after years of dismal profit margins and high operation costs, store manager and owner Ron Beach announced this week that the 50-year-old grocery store, located at 7900 Imperial Hwy, will finally close its doors, unable to withstand both changing demographics and a weak economy.
“Yeah – we’re closing,” said Beach with a sigh. “It’s sad, but it is what it is. The word is everybody’s hurting, people are down. I’m not sure exactly when, but we’ll probably close before Thanksgiving.”
