The Last Stater Bro Standing

This fall, Stater Bros. closed their store on South Garey. I'm told there used to be a store on N. Garey above the 10 freeway that also closed. The only remaining Stater Bros. in Pomona is now the one at Alvarado and Garey. I was expecting them to perhaps spruce up the remaining Stater store, but no such luck. It seems to be business as usual.

I asked one of the checkers if the employees from the closed store had moved to the remaining store and he informed me that most of the employees just wanted to get out of Pomona. Okay, thanks for sharing.

I found an interesting article on the chain's co-founder Cleo Stater, courtesy of the Orange County Register.

"His objects of pride included nice suits , luxury cars and specialized meat departments. Although the brothers sold their chain to Petrolane Corp. in 1968 , Cleo remained a familiar figure at the company's Colton headquarters , snappily dressed , as always , and keeping up with the latest in business....

Born in Miller , Mo. , Leo and Cleo grew up on a ranch in Yucaipa. ...Cleo left high school before graduating so he could work to help his family ; he was making 10 cents an hour in a grocery store. One day , the store owner said he'd sell the twins the market for $10 , 000 - more money than they'd ever dreamed of - and that they could put $600 down and pay the rest at $300 a month. The brothers sold their cars for $300 and borrowed $300 from a competing grocer. They were 24 years old when they bought that store on Aug. 17 , 1936.

During World War II , they both entered the service - Cleo serving in the Army Air Corps - and their parents minded the store. When the twins returned , their younger brother , Lavoy , joined them in business. By the end of 1949 , they had 12 Stater Bros. markets. By 1988 , the chain had 100 stores and a one-year sales volume of $1 billion. All three brothers were known for their vision , keen business sense and tough work ethic....

A handsome man with curly hair , mischievous eyes , and a penchant for fine suits and luxury cars , Cleo was known as a fair and reasonable boss , but also as a taskmaster. If a plan was agreed upon , he expected to see that plan carried out. He was quiet and rather shy , with a tremendous sense for what direction the company should take. He wanted stores that were clean and pleasant , that offered the lowest prices for name-brand goods , and that sold the best and freshest meat. To that end , each store has a butcher department , so shoppers don't have to rely on packaged meat. They can have anything specially cut. His motto was , It's our meat that made us famous..

The stores offered other innovations , too , including courtesy cards that allow customers to cash checks at any store and recycling centers in the markets for paper and plastic bags. Leo died in 1985 , and Cleo continued to be seen as the soul of the company , never missing , with his wife , Elsie , the chance to snip the ribbon at the opening of a new store. He attended every anniversary dinner and was planning to attend this month's management meeting. Cleo's time in the Army Air Corps gave him a lifelong love of flying , and he owned his own jet , which he flew out of John Wayne Airport....

Aug. 17 , 1936 : The first Stater Bros. Market is co-founded in Yucaipa by twins Cleo and Leo Stater with a down payment of $600....

1940s : Cleo and Leo serve during World War II , leaving their parents to run the store. ...Cleo Stater attends store openings thereafter. ...

Sept. 9 , 2001 : Cleo Stater dies at age 89."


I wonder what Cleo would think about the one and only Pomona Stater Bros.? I have a feeling he would think there was some room for improvement, at least in the "I love where I work" department.