Editing Osco Drug and Sav-on Drugs (section)

==Sav-on Drugs==
{{anchor|Sav-on Drugs|Sav-on}}
<!-- NOTE TO EDITORS: please consider splitting this section when it becomes large enough to stand on its own. -->

Sav-on Drugs was a [[Southern California]]-based drugstore chain that was founded by Christian J. Call in [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]], in July 1945. Ira D. Brown served as general manager.<ref name="sbs-1945jul29">{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SBS19450729.1.28 |title=Druggist Pleased with Reception of Public |newspaper=[[The San Bernardino Sun]] |volume=51 |page=16 |date=July 29, 1945 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref><ref name="sbs-1945jul24">{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SBS19450724.1.5&srpos=14&e=------194-en--20-SBS-1--txt-txIN-sav%252Don%252Ddrugs+brown------- |title=Thousands Attend Drug Store Opening  |newspaper=[[The San Bernardino Sun]] |volume=51 |page=5 |date=July 24, 1945 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref> The chain was the second largest California-based drugstore chain in Southern California at the time it was acquired by The Jewel Companies in November 1980.

In October 1947, the third store in the chain opened in [[Long Beach, California|Long Beach]]. The store was managed by Ronald L. Call while the chain was co-owned at that time by Christian J. Call and Alton D. Clark<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/717775823/ |title=Self Serve Drug Store Opens Here Today |newspaper=[[Long Beach Independent]] |page=34 |date=October 2, 1947 |url-access=subscription |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

The seventh store was opened in [[South Gate, California|South Gate]] in September 1948.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SGP19480809.1.1&srpos=31&e=------194-en--20--21--txt-txIN-sav%252Don+Huntington+Park------- |title=SavOn Drugs To Open $250,000 Store On Tweedy |newspaper=South Gate Press |volume=28 |number=57 |page=1 |date=August 9, 1948 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SGP19480923.1.1&srpos=9&e=------194-en--20--1--txt-txIN-sav%252Don+Huntington+Park------- |title=Sav-On Drugs Opens Tweedy Store Friday |newspaper=South Gate Press |volume=28 |number=70 |page=1 |date=September 23, 1948 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref>

In June 1952, the ninth store opened in [[Lakewood, California|Lakewood]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/381113224/ |title=Sav-On Store to Open Tomorrow at Lakewood |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 25, 1952 |page=23 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|166364566}}}}</ref>

The tenth store of the chain opened in [[Gardena, California|Gardena]] in October 1952.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/image/386178050/?match=1&terms=10th%20Sav-On%20Store%20to%20Open |title=10th Sav-On Store to Open |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=October 29, 1952 |page=A2 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|166415888}}}}</ref>

Founder and president Christian Call died on January 11, 1958.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/598455301/ |title=Store Operator Dies At 66 of Heart Ailment |newspaper=[[The Salt Lake Tribune]] |page=25 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> He was replaced by his nephew Ronald Call.

The 27th store was opened in the North Hills Shopping Center in [[Granada Hills, Los Angeles|Granada Hills]] in July 1959.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DNVN19590730.1.114&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-sav%252Don+grand+opening------- |title=Sav-on's Grand Opening in Granada Hills Begins Today |newspaper=[[Van Nuys News]] |volume=48 |date=July 30, 1959 |quote=With 17,000 square feet of space, this new, modern 27th unit in Sav-on chain begins four-day grand opening today. Located in North Hills Shopping Center, at Balboa Blvd. and Devonshire St., Grenada Hills}}</ref>

The 35th store in the chain was opened in the Park Western Shopping Center in [[San Pedro, Los Angeles|San Pedro]] in September 1963.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=PVPN19630905.2.81&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-sav%252Don%252Ddrugs+president+brown------- |title=Sav-on Opens Store on Western Four Day Celebration Opens Drug Store |newspaper=[[Palos Verdes Peninsula News]] |volume=26 |number=36 |page=15 |date=September 5, 1963 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref>

The [[United States Department of Justice]] filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Sav-On's rival [[Thrifty Drug Stores]] in Federal Court in August 1962 to force Thrift to divest itself of its 28.75% stock it owns in Sav-On Drugs, Inc.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/381397664/ |title=Antitrust Suit Filed Against Thrifty Drug |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 14, 1962 |page=C5 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|168174446}}}}</ref> In December 1964, Thrifty Drug Stores sold its almost 30% stake in its rival Sav-On back to Sav-On that it had acquired since 1958.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/382459206/ |title=Thrifty Drug Sells Interest in Sav-On |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=December 8, 1964 |page=B9 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|155087989}}}}</ref>

The company's general offices was moved from downtown Los Angeles to a new building in Marina del Rey in 1967.<ref>{{cite news |url= |title=Building Started |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 10, 1967 |page=WS5 |url-access= |id={{ProQuest|155813673}} |quote= }}</ref>

The company's second president, Ronald L. Call, died in March 1968<ref>{{cite news |url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/382527773/ |title=Ronald L. Call, 49, President of Sav-On |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 21, 1968 |page=C8 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|2727261507}} |quote=Funeral services for Ronald L. Call, 49, president of Sav-On Drug Stores, will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday at the Westchester Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints. He died Tuesday of heart disease at the Centinela Valley Community Hospital, Inglewood. Mr. Call joined Sav-On in 1945 as a clerk in the firm's original store in San Bernardino and rose in the next dozen years to head a chain of 54 stores from Santa Maria to San Diego.}}</ref> and was replaced by Ira Brown.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://latimes.newspapers.com/newspage/382545658/ |title=Savings in S&Ls Rose $1.26 Billion in March |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=April 23, 1968 |page=B8 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|155905177}} |quote=Ira D. Brown has been named president of Sav-On-Drugs Inc., filling the position left vacant by the recent death of Ronald L. Call. Other new officers of the privately-held firm based in Los Angeles are: R. L. Call, first vice president; Jay D. Peterson, vice president, and Don M. Alder, secretary-treasurer.}}</ref>

Sav-on opened its 64th store in [[Torrance, California|Torrance]] in July 1971.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=PVPN19710728.2.47&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-sav%252Don+christian+call------- |title=Sav-On Opens Second Store in Torrance |newspaper=[[Palos Verdes Peninsula News]] |volume=33 |number=60 |page=8 |date=July 28, 1971 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref>

In November 1972, Sav-On Drugs stock began trading on the [[New York Stock Exchange]] under the symbol SVN.<ref>{{cite news |title=Big Board to Add a Stock; Amex Slates Two Newcomers |newspaper=[[Wall Street Journal]] |date=November 20, 1972 |page=37 |id={{ProQuest|133714411}} |quote=On the Big Board, Sav-On Drugs tomorrow with the symbol SVN.}}</ref>

The 77th store was opened in Marina del Rey in January 1974.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/929429732/ |title=Sav-On opens new store in shadow of headquarters |newspaper=Marina del Rey Argonaut |date=January 10, 1974 |page=6 |url-access=subscription |quote= }}</ref>

Sav-on opened its 98th store in [[Carson, California|Carson]] in October 1975. Except for four stores in Houston, Texas, the other 94 stores were located in California.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1094240727/ |title=Sav-on Opens in Carson |newspaper=[[Daily Breeze]] |date=October 29, 1975 |page=82 |url-access=subscription |quote= }}</ref>

The 100th store was opened in [[Santa Clarita, California|Santa Clarita]] in December 1975.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/333409166/ |title=Sav-On To Open |newspaper=[[The Santa Clarita Valley Signal]] |date=December 5, 1975 |page=2 |url-access=subscription |quote= }}</ref>

Sav-On purchased the inventories, fixtures, leasehold improvements, and other assets for 15 Pay Less Drug Stores in Southern California from the Oakland-based Pay Less in March 1978. The new stores were mostly located in Orange and San Diego counties. Sav-On had 112 stores prior to the sale and 127 after including the former Pay Less stores. All 127 stores were located in Southern California except for five in Houston, Texas. The chain also had plans of opening stores in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the near future.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/1098670295/ |title=Sav-On records best effort to date |newspaper=[[Daily Breeze]] |date=August 6, 1978 |page=29 |url-access=subscription |quote= }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/57443147/ |title=Sav-On purchases assets of Pay Less |newspaper=[[The San Bernardino Sun]] |page=55 |date=March 2, 1978 |url-access=subscription |quote= }}</ref>

In 1978, Sav-On acquired a warehouse in Anaheim in which the company remodel it to be a new warehouse distribution site and also as the site of its new corporate headquarters to replace it previous offices in Marina del Rey.<ref>{{cite news |url= |title=$1-Million Renovation Begun on Sav-On Anaheim Warehouse |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=December 10, 1978 |page=H7 |id={{ProQuest|158764202}} |quote= }}</ref>

By August 1980, the Sav-on had a total of 141 stores, which includes 130 in California, 6 in Houston, and 5 in Las Vegas.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/387162889/ |title=Unnamed Firm Bids for Sav-On |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=August 7, 1980 |page=E1 |url-access=subscription |id={{ProQuest|162897908}} |quote= }}</ref>

In October 1980, Sav-on opened its 146th store in [[Orange, California|Orange]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=TN19801030.1.24&srpos=3&e=------198-en--20--1--txt-txIN-sav%252Don%252Ddrugs+opening------- |title=Sav-On to Open in Orange |newspaper=[[The Tustin News]] |volume=59 |number=1 |date=October 30, 1980 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref>

Sav-on opened its 148th store in the South Gate Shopping Center Plaza in [[South Gate, California|South Gate]], in June 1981.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SGP19810603.1.18&srpos=2&e=------198-en--20--1--txt-txIN-sav%252Don+%22robert+l.+call%22------- |title=New Sav-on Store in South Gate goes ‘all-out’ for its customers |newspaper=South Gate Press |volume=58 |page=18 |date=June 3, 1981 |via=[[California Digital Newspaper Collection]]}}</ref>