1923 5
Pon Honor Stores was a local chain of grocery stores founded by George E. Archambeault and Clarence McAllister. 1,5 It started with the Royal Grocery on Piedmont Avenue c.1906, and grew to 39 stores by 1928 when they were purchased by Public Food Stores of San Francisco. 7 The used the tag line "we split the nickel."
c.1912 8
The first reference to Royal Grocery in the Tribune is a want ad looking for a delivery wagon driver, address 4108 Piedmont Ave. in 1907. 2 A 1917 ad lists Royal Grocery (store no. 1; credit and delivery) on the lower floor and Royal Grocerteria (store no. 2; cash and carry) on the mezzanine at 4001-03-05 Piedmont Ave. 3 in the Julia Morgan-designed Fred C. Turner Shopping Center building.
from 1925 ad
By 1920, the Royal Grocerteria chain had grown to 8 stores including one in Hayward and one in San Leandro, and they announced they were changing the name to Pon Honor:
In selecting a new name for these eight busy grocerterias we decided that the name PON HONOR would convey to the public our one desire to be always upon honor in all business dealings with our customers; to serve them intelligently and honestly; to work for their interests as well as our own and to give you the lowest prices commensurate with good merchandise.
No Change of Management—the Same Dependable Service as Always. 4
The chain grew rapidly, and in 1923 opened its 17th store, and a new headquarters and warehouse at 416 - 3rd Street. (That building is now home to Federation Brewing and other businesses.) A December 1927 article showed a picture of store 32 at 3438 Fruitvale Avenue, and said they had recently signed leases for stores 33 and 34. 6
Less than a year later, it was announced that Public Food Stores of San Francisco was buying the chain. The article also announced that Skaggs-Safeway was buying Sanitary Foods of Washington, D.C. 7
1928 directory listing
| No. | Address | City |
| HQ | 416-420 - 3rd St. | Oakland |
| 1 | 4001 Piedmont Ave. | Oakland |
| 2 | 5401 Grove (MLK) | Oakland |
| 3 | 3828 Grove (MLK) | Oakland |
| 4 | 1318 - E14th St. | San Leandro |
| 5 | 46 Grand Ave. | Oakland |
| 6 | 338 - 14th St. | Oakland |
| 7? | 567 Main St. | Hayward |
| 8 | 3338 Telegraph Ave. | Oakland |
| 17 | 5307 Fairfax Ave. | Oakland |
| 32 | 3848 Grand Ave. | Oakland |
| Ysabel Manor Apartments, 1824 Park Blvd. | Oakland | |
| Capwell Central Market | Oakland | |
| 5650 College Ave. | Oakland | |
| 5802 Foothill Blvd. | Oakland | |
| 3438 Fruitvale Ave. | Oakland | |
| 3224 Grand Ave. | Oakland | |
| 3807 Hopkins | Oakland | |
| 3532 Park Blvd. | Oakland | |
| 2425 Telegraph Ave. | Oakland | |
| 3109 Telegraph Ave. | Oakland | |
| 3432 E.14th St. | Oakland | |
| 1205 Park St. | Alameda | |
| 1516 Park St. | Alameda | |
| 3024 Ashby Ave. | Berkeley | |
| 2252 Bancroft Way | Berkeley | |
| 2967 College Ave. | Berkeley | |
| 1405 Grove (MLK) | Berkeley | |
| 1647 Hopkins Ave. | Berkeley | |
| 1597 Solano Ave. | Berkeley | |
| 2358 Telegraph Ave. | Berkeley | |
| 2804 Telegraph Ave. | Berkeley | |
| 1903 University Ave. | Berkeley |
No. 1 - 8 are from the 1920 announcement; the others are from the 1928 directory listing.
Links and References
1920 name change 4
- George E. Archambeault obituary Oakland Tribune January 23, 1962
- want ad Oakland Tribune June 19, 1907
- ad Oakland Tribune November 20, 1917
- announcement ad Oakland Tribune June 11, 1920
- Great Growth of "Pon Honor" Oakland Tribune July 22, 1923
- Big Total of Sales Is Given by Pon Honor Oakland Tribune December 18, 1927
- Chain Stores in $6,000,000 Bay Mergers Oakland Tribune October 6, 1928
- A Grocery Palace California Grocers Advocate November 1912
