The Beginning
The first store opened in 1967. The model it developed — heavy private label, small format, no loyalty cards — contradicted most of what conventional grocery wisdom said worked.
Documentary in Production
The full narrative — founding context, early decisions, and the specific circumstances that made The Unusual Grocer what it is — will be published with the documentary. Subscribe to be notified when it goes live.
The First Bet
Every company that got big made at least one bet that others wouldn't. For The Unusual Grocer, that decision — and the reasoning behind it — is the subject of our documentary research.
Research in Progress
We're sourcing primary accounts, contemporary reporting, and company records to tell this part of the story accurately. The full chapter will be published with the documentary.
The Turning Point
The decision to build a private-label focused, small-format store in an era of superstore expansion
Full Chapter Coming
The turning point above is our editorial summary. The documentary chapter will tell the full story: who made the decision, what the alternatives were, and what changed as a result.
The Scale
Understanding how The Unusual Grocer grew from its founding in 1967 to its current size means understanding the specific model it used — and what it chose not to do. That's the core of this chapter.
Documentary in Production
Growth model, key milestones, and what was preserved intentionally as The Unusual Grocer scaled — all in the full documentary. Get notified when it's published.
The Timeline
The Unusual Grocer is established in Pasadena, California.
The early expansion phase. Research and sourcing in progress for the full documentary.
The decision to build a private-label focused, small-format store in an era of superstore expansion
Growth from regional to national scale. Full timeline in production.
The Unusual Grocer continues operating across its core markets. Documentary in production.
The Sources
This story is built from primary and secondary sources. All sources will be listed in full when the documentary is published. We don't publish until the sourcing is complete — no claim goes uncited in the final version.
Sources in Assembly
We're gathering books, archived reporting, company filings, and first-hand accounts. The complete source list for The Unusual Grocer will be published alongside the documentary. See our editorial standards for how we work.
Corrections: corrections@howitgotbigstudios.com
