Lundy's Food Center
300 Euclid Ave. at N. Benton Ave.


Lundy's expanded market, NW corner of Euclid and Benton, 1953


FROM THE 1953 CARROLL COLLEGE 'HILLTOPPER' YEARBOOK - COURTESY OF THE MONTANA MEMORY PROJECT

 


Lundy's was a small Montana grocery chain headquartered in Helena. It was owned by Oliver and Albert Lundborg, and operated from the 1930s to the 1960s with stores in Helena, Townsend and Livingston.

Albert (1914-2005) and Oliver Lundborg (1912-2006) were natives of South Dakota, where their father had a general store in Alpina. Their sister Elsie had come to Helena, and was working at Intermountain College. Al and Oliver later came west, and enrolled at Intermountain.

The closing of the school after the earthquakes of 1935 sent Al back to South Dakota, where he earned a degree in accounting and economics. He returned to Helena, and along with Oliver opened Lundy's Drive-In Market at the corner of Montana Ave. and 11th. in 1939. World War II interrupted their endeavors, closing the store for a time.

In 1946, Al and Oliver purchased several lots on the NW corner of Benton and Euclid and built a new Lundy's Market there. In 1950, they expanded the store into what was Helena's first "supermarket". Other family members had by then joined the enterprise.

The expanded store measured 140' x 75' (10,500 sq. ft.). The parking lot had spots for 300 cars. The interior was lit by three rows of flourescent lights, and featured self-service meat and produce counters.

The Lundborgs ran their own produce trucks between Montana and the west coast, which they claimed enabled them to stock better produce at lower prices than their competitors. The supermarket was extensively remodeled in 1954.

In 1963, the Lundborgs sold the food market interest to Super Save Markets and built the Lundy Center. The old store closed on Nov. 9, 1963, and was moved south across Euclid Avenue. It is now part of Rucker's Furniture.

Al operated the new Lundy Center for twenty years before selling it, and began devoting much of his time to the Helena community, especially to the arts.

 

Grand Opening Ad, June 1950
Click on the ad to open a large version in pdf format


 


COURTESY OF CATHEE CRAPO

The new Lundy Center under construction, 1964. The old market can just be seen on the far right.