Rite-Aid Moving Corners?
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Several weeks ago I noticed a Public Notice sign on one of the closed storefronts in the Jewelry Trades Building on the southeast corner of 5th and Broadway. I thought I saw that it said Rite-Aid on it, but I figured that couldn't be right -- the Rite-Aid's across the street.
Last night, though, I made a special trip over there and can confirm that the notice is a liquor license transfer for the Rite-Aid, moving the permit to 500 S. Broadway. The applicant name is Thrifty PayLess, the chain Rite-Aid bought in 1997.
So it would seem to me that the Rite-Aid is changing buildings. I'm all for it; the present location is ugly both inside and out. Hopefully Rite-Aid moving out will lead to a total rehab of that bit of retail.
The Thrifty PayLess bit is one I didn't know before. Thrifty Drug Stores were headquartered in Downtown, so perhaps that explains why there are three Rite-Aids within six blocks or so of the Historic Core.
Update (2:20pm): I walked over at lunch to take a picture for this post and noticed that the sidewalk in front of the Jewelry Trades Building had one of the little glass tiles missing. Through the hole you could see down about 25 feet into the basement.
Tim Quinn on April 26, 2006, at 03:07PM – #1
Maybe they could get a new crew, too . . . service is bad there (though the pharmacy is OK)
Bill M on April 26, 2006, at 03:50PM – #2
The Title Guarantee & Trust Building on Hill and Fifth has a terrazzo "Thrifty" outside the corner entrance. Their old HQ?
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on April 26, 2006, at 04:00PM – #3
Bill: Good catch. I knew I had seen that outside a building somewhere, I just couldn't come up with where. I walked over that yesterday.
I've read that the headquarters were on Wilshire, but I don't know 100% where they were. It's times like these where I miss being in school and having access to Proquest.
danny on April 26, 2006, at 04:05PM – #4
Just visited the Barry Shy Lofts building today .. learned that the Rite Aid will be replaced with new parking .. looks like barry is making more money off of parking than retail tenants!
Jeff on April 27, 2006, at 12:19AM – #5
Is the jewelery trades building being converted into lofts? I have been tracking the construction process for a while but have not been able to figure out was is going on/planned.
Tim Quinn on April 27, 2006, at 12:07PM – #6
you can get Proquest with a library card number. Best deal in town. go to the databases link on lapl.org
Eric Richardson (@blogdowntown) on April 27, 2006, at 12:40PM – #7
Unfortunately the Historic LA Times archive (the only interesting one, in my opinion) is only available through LAPL if you're at a library branch. That's the one that goes back to the early 1900s.