Is Gelson's Only On The West Coast?

The best supermarkets are often regional chains. Gelson's is certainly beloved by its fans on the West Coast, where the business first arose. But is it only found there, or has its success propelled it eastward, as well?

A quick look at Gelson's origin story might easily explain its geographical distribution. Hailing from Iowa, Bernard and Eugene Gelson moved to California in the 1930s (via Progressive Grocer). Their father owned a small grocery store in LA at the time, and per the Los Angeles Times, the Gelson brothers learned their trade from their parents. Come the early '50s, Bernard and Eugene opened their own market, named Gelson's, located in Burbank. Starting then and throughout the '60s, Gelson's was considered a quality, premier food market. So, by the time the '70s rolled around, the brothers were able to turn Gelson's into a chain and sell off their upscale creation. Bernard did stay on as CEO and president until his retirement in the late '80s, however, so the Gelson touch remained a fixture at these supermarkets for several decades. But was that enough to make this chain a national one?

It appears as though Gelson's never really left the West Coast. According to Gelson's itself, its first market did catch on locally, with its air conditioning, large carts, modern design, wide aisles, and windowed storefront. While this allowed dozens of other Gelson's locations to pop up across Southern California — even attracting the patronage of Hollywood celebs — its only connection to other regions of the U.S. comes from its complex corporate history.

Gelson's explains that a chain of grocery stores called Mayfair Markets also came into existence during the 20th century. By the 1960s, there were hundreds of Mayfair sites, found not only in California, but also Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington state. However, these were relatively small shops, so when supermarkets became popular, most Mayfair locations were sold off. A few of the fanciest Mayfairs became Gelson's stores, but there's no indication that those ones were located outside of the Golden State. 

According to their location map, Gelson's is still California-exclusive, and it definitely never went beyond the Western United States. The ownership of Gelson's has changed a few times, with Pan Pacific International Holdings most recently acquiring the brand in 2021, per The Packer; however, these business relations don't change the fact that Gelson's itself is Californian through and through.

There are no obvious signs that Gelson's plans to venture out of SoCal anytime soon. Nonetheless, the chain continues to make a strong impression on its neighbors. In the 21st century, innovation remains part of the brand's identity, like when it became the first grocer to carry the Impossible Burger. During the pandemic, Gelson's was able to adapt effectively enough to keep business moving, according to Supermarket News. Many shoppers visit Gelson's for the full-service restaurant the stores now include. Others make a trip there to enjoy its "Sip and Shop" experience, drinking wine while employees shop for them.

Unfortunately for Gelson's, not everyone's impressed. An investigation conducted by Business Insider, just before the pandemic started, found Gelson's to be overrated — despite the chain being voted "Best in the West" by a Consumer Reports poll. The store visited did have its benefits, like a bakery/café, a kombucha fridge, a poke bar, and a welcoming ambience, plus a wide array of local, organic, and vegetarian options. However, the aisles were cluttered, the prices were high, and the parking lot was almost full despite the shop being nearly empty. The foods' freshness also seemed hit or miss. In the end, it was a mixed bag.

Maybe someday this upscale supermarket will scale up to being countrywide, but for now, Gelson's is staying home.