- Simon David
Simon David is the oldest gourmet and specialty foods store in
Dallas, Texas . Simon David is part ofRandall's Food Markets , the 112-store Texas division ofSafeway Inc. History
Named for its founder, Simon David opened in 1889 as the first food retailer and deliverer in Dallas to specialize in out-of-season items and imported merchandise. Originally a small brick structure adjacent to Mr. David's home in
Uptown Dallas ' historic State Thomas neighborhood, the business expanded to 4311 Oak Lawn Avenue in the 1920s and thrived under the supervision of second-generation owner Delmer David, who opened an additional wholesale outlet along with separate packing and shipping facilities that distributed Simon David products nationwide. The third location opened October 19, 1961, on Inwood Road, where the founder's grandson, Stanley M. David became the first grocer in Dallas to offer a liquor department before selling the franchise to Tom Thumb in 1963. A larger building replaced the original Inwood Road location in 1985 at the same address. While Tom Thumb would later market a statewide chain of Simon David stores, only the Inwood Road location retains the name of its founder.Randall's Food Markets
Tom Thumb and its Simon David division were acquired by the
Randall's Food Markets chain ofHouston in1992 . Randall's retained the Tom Thumb and Simon David names in the Dallas/Fort Worth market, but would convert the seven Tom Thumb stores inAustin, Texas , to Randall's in January 1994, when it also converted nine newly acquiredAppleTree Markets . [Randalls shuts three AppleTrees; Nine other area stores are closed temporarily for conversion after grocery buyout, "Austin American-Statesman", January 19, 1994.] [Clash of the titans; Industry giants Randalls, H.E.B. battle for bucks, buyers' interest, "Austin American-Statesman", January 22, 1994.] [Updates from the aisles of Austin's new and changing food storesThe goods on groceries, "Austin American-Statesman", March 23, 1994.] [Grocery stores change names to Randall's, "Ausin American-Statesman", January 8, 1994.] [Randalls banner flies over old Tom Thumbs, "Austin American-Statesman", January 13, 1994.] The Simon David in the Arboretum Market (opened in 1987) was not converted, but it would close in December 1996 and would be converted into aSaks Fifth Avenue . [ [http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1996/09/02/story1.html Saks Fifth Ave. signs letter of intent] "Austin Business Journal", August 30, 1996.] [ [http://austin.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/1997/04/21/newscolumn2.html Constructors & Associates turns Simon David into Saks] "Austin Business Journal", April 18, 1997.] Though after many customers lamented the loss of the city's only Simon David, Randall's decided in 1998 to make its Bee Caves store a Flagship Randall's supermarket, the first in the city and the eighth in the chain. [Randalls brings Flagship specialty store concept to Austin, "Austin American-Statesman", September 24, 1998.]afeway
In
1999 Randall's and its Tom Thumb/Simon David divisions were acquired by Safeway. Safeway retained the Randall's name in Houston and Austin and the Tom Thumb and Simon David names in Dallas/Fort Worth.Notes
References
* [http://www.uptowndallas.net/work.htm Uptown Dallas] Historic Uptown Dallas/Simon David
*Simon David expansion plans revealed on anniversary, "The Dallas Morning News", October 10, 1960.
*New Simon David opens tomorrow, "The Dallas Morning News", October 18, 1961.
*Simon David notes its 74th anniversary, "The Dallas Morning News", February 24, 1963.
*Cullum Co. buys David food store, "The Dallas Morning News", September 28, 1963.External links
* [http://www.tomthumb.com Tom Thumb Food & Pharmacy] Official website
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