by Richard Foss
Before 1930, Americans generally shopped for groceries in neighborhood stores that offered canned goods, a few vegetables and dairy products, and not much else. Need some meat? The butcher is down the street, and if you’re out of bread you can go a little further and be at the local bakery.
In 1930 a bright spark named Michael J. Cullen envisioned a new way of shopping, with multiple departments under one roof and parking spaces for those newfangled automobiles. He tried to interest his employer, a grocer named Kroger, but his letter went unanswered. Undaunted, he started his own company, calling his new establishment a “supermarket.” You may not be surprised to know that the idea caught on, and Cullen’s former employer Kroger is one of the largest operators in the world.
It’s convenient and cheap to shop at these vast halls full of diverse products, but something has been lost. We don’t know the people behind the counters and they don’t know us. It’s not just having someone who can recommend a new product based on what we liked last time, it’s about the connection to the community, the neighbors you see shopping there.
There is one remnant of the old days in Hermosa Beach, a little side street store that has been serving the community for over a century. Granny’s Grocery on Monterey Boulevard in South Hermosa opened in 1924. It has had several names, and was LeMaster’s Grocery when the current owners bought it in 1990. They added a deli counter and started serving sandwiches, which were an instant hit. They probably could have cleared out the groceries and converted to a sandwich shop with places to sit indoors, but they didn’t. Even though portable meals between bread seems to be the majority of their sales, they still stock basic staple items to keep the tradition going. They’re obviously proud of their heritage, and keep the California Senate’s recognition of their 100th anniversary behind a row of solar-powered wiggling toys in the front window.
It would make sense for a heritage deli to focus on the classics, dishing out pastrami, turkey, club sandwiches, and the like, and you can get all of those at Granny’s. They also offer monthly specials that can approach baroque complexity, like the “You Vanna Bet” that I got on one visit. This contained Cajun-spiced turkey, pastrami, Muenster cheese, avocado, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, pepperoncinis, and a dash of oil and vinegar. That was a lot of flavors and textures, enough that I kept eating just to see if I could identify individual elements. Was that hit of spiciness from the Cajun seasoning, mustard, or pepperoncinis, and what did each contribute? It’s a game to play as you eat anything this complex.
On another trip I had a breakfast sandwich called an “Eazy-E”, and there’s probably a joke of some kind in there, but I forgot to ask what it was. This was a croissant stuffed with two eggs cooked with salt, pepper, garlic, and red pepper, along with both cheddar and cream cheese, buffalo chicken, lettuce, avocado, pepperoncinis, and hot sauce. If you look at the ingredients on the two sandwiches I just mentioned, you’ll get an idea of the house style – someone who’s making sandwiches likes pickled and peppery flavors. Fortunately for those who don’t start the day with spicy food, the avocado and cream cheese mellow things out nicely. Those who want no spices will find that modifications are accepted cheerfully, and I suspect that if you come up with an interesting variant, it may end up on the menu and be named after you.
Granny’s does make more conventional sandwiches, including a commendable tuna salad and good versions of standard items like a BLT. A tip — if you’re in a hurry and it’s peak breakfast or lunch hours, pick one of the cold ones, because their prep area is tiny and their stove can get backed up. If you want that hot pastrami and regard this as an opportunity to chill out with a soft drink or a latte on their patio, you can enjoy everything at its peak of flavor while viewing the passing parade of customers, dog walkers, and other members of local society.
Granny’s doesn’t serve fries, but offers a wide selection of gourmet chips in flavors that include pickle, truffle, Iberian ham, hot giardinera, green beer, and Italian beef. If you ever want to have a comparative tasting of weirdly flavored potato chips, you can do all your shopping here and get some pickle-flavored beer to wash them down. (Or more conventional beer and wine, but if you’re going for weird, go all the way. I would happily join you for this parade of gourmet delights, but I have something else on my schedule that day.)
Back in the ‘20s and ‘30s this grocery store probably stocked some items made in the neighborhood, and Granny’s carries on that tradition. I tried a lavender scone from Lovy’s, cherry hand pie from Two Spoons Bakes, and a banana chip cake from Big G’s, all local products and all quite enjoyable.
Granny’s encapsulates the difference between not only the groceries of the day, but the mom and pop delis. Can you get a cheaper sandwich elsewhere, and a wider selection from that bigger kitchen? Yep, you can. Will it come with the character of the environment, friendliness of the staff, the people who greet you and make suggestions based on what you liked last time? Nope. And therein lies the appeal of Granny’s, a set of old-time virtues that never grow old.
Granny’s Grocery is at 635 Monterey Boulevard in Hermosa Beach. Open daily 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Street parking only, limited patio dining area. (310) 372-6639. GrannysDeli.com. ER
