Quik-Trip (Demolished)
Tulsa, OK
Photo and info courtesy Chris King

This Quik-Trip was where one of America's most successful convenience store chains got its start. The first store opened on September 25, 1958, and from this modest Tulsa storefront grew a company that would eventually spread across much of the country.

Founders Burt Holmes and Chester Cadieux each invested $5,000 to launch the business. Originally incorporated as Quick-Trip, the name was soon shortened after a sign designer suggested dropping the "c" to create a more balanced-looking storefront sign. Ironically, the new store almost didn't survive its first few months when road construction closed the street in front of the business. The owners improvised by placing homemade signs that directed customers through the alley behind the store.

The original Quik-Trip didn't even sell gasoline. Fuel wasn't added until 1971, when another Tulsa location became the company's first store with gas pumps. That decision helped transform QuikTrip into one of the nation's most recognizable convenience store brands.

UPDATE: The original 1958 storefront has been demolished, and today's QuikTrip Store No. 1 operates from a larger location just a short distance away. The original sign no longer survives, and its fate has never been confirmed. 06-26

Safeway (Gone)
Tulsa, OK
Photo courtesy Chris King

Here's a classic Safeway supermarket featuring the distinctive curved front that became one of the chain's most recognizable architectural styles during the late 1950s and 1960s. Designed by architect Donn Emmons, these futuristic "Marina" stores—with their sweeping parabolic rooflines and expansive glass fronts—gave Safeway a modern, space-age look that stood apart from traditional grocery stores of the era.

Beginning in 1959, Safeway rolled out the Marina design across the country, and Tulsa received several examples as the company expanded throughout Oklahoma. Their bold, Googie-inspired architecture reflected the same optimism and forward-thinking spirit that influenced countless roadside motels, restaurants, and service stations during the postwar boom.

Safeway remained a major grocery chain in Oklahoma until 1987, when it exited the state and sold its stores to other operators. Many of the buildings were remodeled beyond recognition, while others were eventually demolished as commercial corridors evolved.

UPDATE: The Safeway building shown here is no longer standing. Although several Tulsa Marina-style stores survived for years under different owners, most have since been extensively altered or demolished, making these distinctive supermarkets an increasingly rare part of Oklahoma's mid-century architectural heritage. 06-26