Does anyone remember these stores? It was a drug store but they sold alot of different items. They also had an ice cream section where you could get a single, double, or triple scoop of ice cream. It was really cheap, but the best ice cream in the world. I usually only went there for the ice cream. The last time I seen a Thrifty's was in 1991. Does anyone else remember them?

Yes, they apparently changed to RITE-AID and farmed their 'slowest clerks in the West' out to Sav-On drugs who for awhile tied calling themselves OSCO but it was a no-no word in spanish so they are now sav-on in LA  :o :o :o

Oh yes...I remember these drugstores very well. As a child in the 80s I would go there with my parents all the time. I think it was sometime in the mid-to-late 90s (1997 or so) when they switched to Rite-Aid. Not to mention that the stores had remodeled inside.

In October 1999, however, I went to one that said "Rite-Aid" on the outside, but it still looked like a Thrifty inside. ::)

Did these Rite Aid's you went to still have that great ice cream? The ones here in California didn't.

Did these Rite Aid's you went to still have that great ice cream? The ones here in California didn't.
They discontinued that here in San Jose,but the Long's on Lincoln avenue has ice cream

Actually, we had a Thrifty out here in California and we had a store called PayLess. Eventually, Thrifty bought out Payless and they merged their names. Then Thrifty got bought out by Rite-Aid and now any store formerly known as a Thrifty have all converted to Rite-Aids. Our Rite-Aids still serve the Ice Cream. Does anyone remember O'Farrell's Ice Cream - where the clown would come and sing Happy Birthday to you? I thinik this was mainly a west coast place - originating in San Diego (if my memory is correct).

we had Thrift Drug, would that be the same?




Erin :)

we had Thrift Drug, would that be the same?




Erin :)


I don't believe they're the same store - but I could be mistaken!  :-\\

Not the same store.

Actually, we had a Thrifty out here in California and we had a store called PayLess. Eventually, Thrifty bought out Payless and they merged their names. Then Thrifty got bought out by Rite-Aid and now any store formerly known as a Thrifty have all converted to Rite-Aids. Our Rite-Aids still serve the Ice Cream. Does anyone remember O'Farrell's Ice Cream - where the clown would come and sing Happy Birthday to you? I thinik this was mainly a west coast place - originating in San Diego (if my memory is correct).


You learn something new everyday (I had no idea it was the same store - that explains alot, hehe). :)

I always used to see Thrifty's around the Bay Area when I was younger. I live in San Jose now (have since '96) and there's tons of Rite Aid's here, along with Walgreens and Longs. RA is the slightly highest priced of the three, but they've also got ice cream stands, so I guess that makes up for it. 8)

You learn something new everyday (I had no idea it was the same store - that explains alot, hehe). :)

I always used to see Thrifty's around the Bay Area when I was younger. I live in San Jose now (have since '96) and there's tons of Rite Aid's here, along with Walgreens and Longs. RA is the slightly highest priced of the three, but they've also got ice cream stands, so I guess that makes up for it. 8)


Yeah, I think I was a very unusual child because I was highly aware of these subtle changes in store names, street names, etc. I was real observant. I remember we had a Payless, Longs and Lucky's (Now Albertsons) all within half a mile of another. I can't be for certain if I've noticed if one is more than the other, as I don't go in them all too often - but I go to Wal-greens probably a little more because I like getting my film developed there.  ;D

Yeah, I think I was a very unusual child because I was highly aware of these subtle changes in store names, street names, etc. I was real observant. I remember we had a Payless, Longs and Lucky's (Now Albertsons) all within half a mile of another. I can't be for certain if I've noticed if one is more than the other, as I don't go in them all too often - but I go to Wal-greens probably a little more because I like getting my film developed there. ;D

Oh, same here. ;)

Aside from, say remembering the exact order of songs on a tape we'd make, I'd also pay attention to things like "How many towns are there from Rohnert Park to San Francisco?" when we'd take drives. Maybe that's why I never liked "kid" stuff that much, LOL!

Anyway, I liked Lucky's too, in fact even though Albertson's has taken over the name for at least 6 or 7 years now, I STILL occasionally catch myself calling it Lucky's out of habit. ;D

Walgreens is also my favorite of the "big 3" drugstores.

Oh, same here. ;)

Aside from, say remembering the exact order of songs on a tape we'd make, I'd also pay attention to things like "How many towns are there from Rohnert Park to San Francisco?" when we'd take drives. Maybe that's why I never liked "kid" stuff that much, LOL!

Anyway, I liked Lucky's too, in fact even though Albertson's has taken over the name for at least 6 or 7 years now, I STILL occasionally catch myself calling it Lucky's out of habit. ;D

Walgreens is also my favorite of the "big 3" drugstores.


Yeah - me, too. I always remembered the exact order of tapes - whether they were homemade concoctions, store-bought albums, etc...

Gotta go for the moment - but will add more to this -

I used to work at Thrifty Drug Stores. I worked at the stores in Venice and another one in Beverly Hills. I then moved to corporate headquarters which was a building on Wilshire Blvd in downtown L.A. which later was donated to the Catholic Diocese of Los Angeles (the building had a big sign that said "Thrifty Corporation".) I was there for the merger/buyout(s), Thrifty was first gobbled up by Pacific Gas and Electric (which later became Pacific Enterprices or PE) who hired a lady, Eve Rich, to run Thrifty Drug whose previous experience was CEO of Contempo Casuals a women's clothing store chain??! She pretty much flopped with most of her ideas, "Remember the Knick Knack Aisle," that's not what it was called any way....where you could get cute little keychain fobs, cheap plastic cutsie toys, etc. on both sides of a full aisle!! We ended up blowing the junk out at a huge loss. She left on a golden parachute and then they hired a seasoned grocery guy, Bill Yingling and some guy named Ken to run operations. These guys were good in my opinion. The only thing is that they got approached by the  infamous Leonard Green and associates about a buyout and merger with PayLess which used to be a subsidiary of KMart. The guys on Wilshire thought this was an opportunity to get paid during the merger (since many owned stock in PE) and have a job after to boot. Well from my knowledge just about everyone got the boot (including me) even with all their promises. They closed down the Wilshire HQ (Over 800 people laid off or moved back to the stores) and kept the Portland, Oregon HQ (which was PayLess Drug Store's original HQ). So they changed the name to Thrifty Payless and actually I got involved a tiny bit with assisting with printing up that logo on several brochures, it turned my stomach as I was creating the originals.

Other stores formerly associated with Thrifty Drug: Bi-Mart Discount Stores, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Thrifty Jr.

No relation to Thrift Drug, Thrifty-White, Thrifty Car Rental

I miss the great people at Thrifty Drug,  the great customers, the ice cream (did you know Thrifty Ice Cream was sold to many trendy and fine dining restauraunts where people paid $$$$ for a scoop that cost through the years 10 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents, .75 cents a scoop?) There were many trying times but as a family of employees I sure do miss that most of all.  I also miss that old school Thrifty Drug logo, big red.

To former employees: Remember the "GOTCHA" program? Thrifty Today? (I did the graphics and layout), the huge company parties we had back in the day? (I was only there for the very last one, sad.) the ugly brown uniforms? the bright teal ones? how people in corporate would reserve sale, blowout items, at the stores so only they could buy it not store level employees?(I never did this since I came from the stores) when a V.P. through his chair off the 26th or something floor through the window when he was terminated right after he closed on a house. Well to all the good memories and last but not least to all the beautiful women who worked for Thrifty Drug (you know who you are) I miss ya .... :\'(

Yeah, that ice cream is what kept me going back. I have never had ice cream as good as that, and probably never will again.

I used to work at Thrifty Drug Stores. I worked at the stores in Venice and another one in Beverly Hills. I then moved to corporate headquarters which was a building on Wilshire Blvd in downtown L.A. which later was donated to the Catholic Diocese of Los Angeles (the building had a big sign that said "Thrifty Corporation".) I was there for the merger/buyout(s), Thrifty was first gobbled up by Pacific Gas and Electric (which later became Pacific Enterprices or PE) who hired a lady, Eve Rich, to run Thrifty Drug whose previous experience was CEO of Contempo Casuals a women's clothing store chain??! She pretty much flopped with most of her ideas, "Remember the Knick Knack Aisle," that's not what it was called any way....where you could get cute little keychain fobs, cheap plastic cutsie toys, etc. on both sides of a full aisle!! We ended up blowing the junk out at a huge loss. She left on a golden parachute and then they hired a seasoned grocery guy, Bill Yingling and some guy named Ken to run operations. These guys were good in my opinion. The only thing is that they got approached by the  infamous Leonard Green and associates about a buyout and merger with PayLess which used to be a subsidiary of KMart. The guys on Wilshire thought this was an opportunity to get paid during the merger (since many owned stock in PE) and have a job after to boot. Well from my knowledge just about everyone got the boot (including me) even with all their promises. They closed down the Wilshire HQ (Over 800 people laid off or moved back to the stores) and kept the Portland, Oregon HQ (which was PayLess Drug Store's original HQ). So they changed the name to Thrifty Payless and actually I got involved a tiny bit with assisting with printing up that logo on several brochures, it turned my stomach as I was creating the originals.

Other stores formerly associated with Thrifty Drug: Bi-Mart Discount Stores, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Thrifty Jr.

No relation to Thrift Drug, Thrifty-White, Thrifty Car Rental

I miss the great people at Thrifty Drug,  the great customers, the ice cream (did you know Thrifty Ice Cream was sold to many trendy and fine dining restauraunts where people paid $$$$ for a scoop that cost through the years 10 cents, 25 cents, 50 cents, .75 cents a scoop?) There were many trying times but as a family of employees I sure do miss that most of all.  I also miss that old school Thrifty Drug logo, big red.

To former employees: Remember the "GOTCHA" program? Thrifty Today? (I did the graphics and layout), the huge company parties we had back in the day? (I was only there for the very last one, sad.) the ugly brown uniforms? the bright teal ones? how people in corporate would reserve sale, blowout items, at the stores so only they could buy it not store level employees?(I never did this since I came from the stores) when a V.P. through his chair off the 26th or something floor through the window when he was terminated right after he closed on a house. Well to all the good memories and last but not least to all the beautiful women who worked for Thrifty Drug (you know who you are) I miss ya .... :\'(

I also worked for Thrifty's. I started in Tustin, CA and worked most of the So Ca stores in managment. I also worked Yuma AZ and ended in Santa Ana, CA. I need to figure out how to retreive my 401K I left behind. I left in 1989. Any suggestions?

Actually, we had a Thrifty out here in California and we had a store called PayLess. Eventually, Thrifty bought out Payless and they merged their names. Then Thrifty got bought out by Rite-Aid and now any store formerly known as a Thrifty have all converted to Rite-Aids. Our Rite-Aids still serve the Ice Cream. Does anyone remember O'Farrell's Ice Cream - where the clown would come and sing Happy Birthday to you? I thinik this was mainly a west coast place - originating in San Diego (if my memory is correct).

Payless, not to be confused with the shoe store chain?

Payless, not to be confused with the shoe store chain?


Yeah, I know there was Payless Show Source and there was just Payless. Payless Shoe Source is still around, but Payless got bought out by Thrifty and now they are all called Rite-Aid's.

hey i used to go eat that ice cream too. I grew up in san diego but have since moved to Indiana, but there were several thrifty stores all over the place. I was actuall looking to find one of the thrifty ice cream scoups that they had when i found this site. my wife collect's them and really wanted that one. anyone know where I can get one. And also the O'farrells is still open in san diego on mira mesa blvd. They have the pig troff where you get like 5 gallons of ice cream. awe the memories.........

hey i used to go eat that ice cream too. I grew up in san diego but have since moved to Indiana, but there were several thrifty stores all over the place. I was actuall looking to find one of the thrifty ice cream scoups that they had when i found this site. my wife collect's them and really wanted that one. anyone know where I can get one. And also the O'farrells is still open in san diego on mira mesa blvd. They have the pig troff where you get like 5 gallons of ice cream. awe the memories.........


Wow, I am so glad to hear that the O'Farrells Ice Cream is still around in San Diego! That makes me want to go there and visit!

it's my understanding that when Rite-Aid took over Thrifty a condition of the sale was to keep the ice cream....my first California job was as a service merchandiser...our big account was Thrifty's and I worked all over LA/Orange/San Diego counties with an occaisonal trip to Oakland/Berkley area....most Thrifty employees were very upset with the merger; talked about Rite-Aid being a 'mom & pop" drug chain from the East that won't know how to run the biz; when I mentioned that the stores were almost identical, they didn't believe me (raised on East coast & one of the reasons I shopped Thrifty, was they reminded me of Rite-Aid)....trivia!

yes, still get the Thrifty ice cream in Rite Aid (El Segundo, Long Beach, Hawthorne.....)

what's your favorite Thrifty ice cream flavor? mine is pistachio

I liked Pistachio, Chocolate Brownie, Mint Chip, Chocolate Cordial Cherry, and Rainbow. Rite Aid doesnt have it here in Central Cali.

we used to have "peoples drug" out here in washington d.c., and it got snarfed up by CVS, drug store of the New World Order. i was looking for any pictures of a peoples drug on the internet but i couldn't find any.

the place where i used to live, silver spring, maryland, they had the corner peoples and it was very art deco looking, next to the KB silver theater, also very art deco, it's where i used to watch the F13 triple features and such back in the leg-warmer days. it's funny what happened there, silver spring is now this crazy overdeveloped area and that whole area is now completely retooled, it looks like a shopping mall out of logan's run or something, but it's also got an aspect of the "old town" thing to it. but the KB theater got basically torn down and then completely reassembled like it was, and now it's an AFI theater, like half theater, half museum, and they show arthouse stuff and old classics. good movies, but the point is, the KB showed crap! and that's how we liked it!

and in the outdoor mall/old towney joint where the peoples drug used to be, they put up a buncha pictures of the place around the time when i lived there, and on back, back to the thirties. so the whole joint has become like this museum exhibit of itself. totally weird. and yet except for the theater and the pictures it pretty much looks like everywhere else in the d.c. area, bethesda and rockville and fairfax, now...

Yeah, I know there was Payless Show Source and there was just Payless. Payless Shoe Source is still around, but Payless got bought out by Thrifty and now they are all called Rite-Aid's.

Got it. But what's Payless Show Source? ;)

Got it. But what's Payless Show Source? ;)


Payless Shoe Source

The Payless Show Source is a channel on channel 598,999  ;D