Jacksonville History: Setzer's & Pic N' Save Drugs

[Metro Jacksonville]

Jacksonville History: Setzer's & Pic N' Save Drugs



Metro Jacksonville shares the history of the rise and fall of two major Jacksonville companies founded by Lithuanian immigrant and former Springfield resident, Benjamin Setzer: Setzer's Supermarkets and Pic N' Save Drugs.





Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2012-oct-jacksonville-history-setzers-pic-n-save-drugs-

[billy]

I believe the family still owns Liberty Street warehouse.

[gedo3]

Such a shame!  Pic N' Save always had some really good buys (I still have a watch from there!), some very nice sales help--and the ones that had little restaurants in them often had some of the best desserts!  It would be interesting to have seen a Pic N' Save and a Walmart store in competition! 

[thelakelander]

I went through some of my MJ photo archives, in search of an image of the original Setzer's at 5th & Silver that was torn down around 2007/2008 for a condo project that was never built.  Couldn't find it but I did find a ton of images of isolated urban core buildings that have been demolished since 2003.  It's crazy and will deserve an article of its own.

[fieldafm]

You know you're a Jacksonville native when you give directions that end in '... Down near where the Pic N Save used to be'.  I do that a lot. 

[finehoe]

I didn't know that the Town & Country Pic N' Save was the first one.  Another great history article. 

[duvaldude08]

Pic N Save!! Whoot! Whoot! Whoot!!   

[duvaldude08]

You know you're a Jacksonville native when you give directions that end in '... Down near where the Pic N Save used to be'.  I do that a lot.

Me too!!

[duvaldude08]

Spent so much time in Pic N Save as a child. 48th and main. I can remember going with 5.00 to buy my MC Hammer tapes (dont judge me)

[Bike Jax]

I worked for the Setzer's at the very Pic N' Save you have pictured above on Old Kings & Baymeadows in the late '70's. Despite being in high school and having a work permit to only work as minor one night a week till midnight. I worked 90 hours a week as a part time employee. I remember making jokes about when full time employees had time sleep. They where there when I got there and still there when I left. We referred to the place as Pic N' Slave.

Speaking of Slavery, I've never worked for a more openly racist company. It was openly known that black employees where only allowed to work in the cafeteria or as floor buffers. They where not ever allowed to be moved or promoted to stockers or check out. Even in the cafeteria, whites were the managers and ran the cash register.

Later after leaving Pic N' Save I took a summer job doing home construction. One of our projects that summer was to build and extension on a home at the beaches belonging to one of the Setzer's (I forget which one). One Friday as we were packing up for the weekend, one of the guys fell into the pool. He happened to be black. Hearing the noise and laughter from the crew Setzer came storming out and seeing what had happened and who had fallen into his pool, demanded that we stay, drain the pool and clean it. Seriously. I don't know the man who started business. But have I first hand knowledge that the later Setzer's were some most racist, bigoted people in this city. If we are going to remember history, lets remember it all, the good and the bad.

[thelakelander]

Spent so much time in Pic N Save as a child. 48th and main. I can remember going with 5.00 to buy my MC Hammer tapes (dont judge me)

Don't tell me you have a long lost pair of Hammer pants in your closet?

[finehoe]

Despite being in high school and having a work permit to only work as minor one night a week till midnight. I worked 90 hours a week as a part time employee.

That sounds like the kind of work environment that several MJ posters still support.

[urbanlibertarian]

It's interesting to me how the different phases of the history of this town are defined by commerce.  From minor seaport and river crossing of the King's Road to bigger seaport, ship builder and naval stores exporter to bigger seaport and tourist destination to ocean liner destination and railroad hub to banking and insurance center.

Also the racism BikeJax wrote about is not surprising to anyone who grew up around here.

[duvaldude08]

Spent so much time in Pic N Save as a child. 48th and main. I can remember going with 5.00 to buy my MC Hammer tapes (dont judge me)

Don't tell me you have a long lost pair of Hammer pants in your closet?

No. Actually, I bought a pair of those work out pants that resemble MC hammer pants thank you very much! And my last day of school in the 4th grade we cleared the desk, put on my tape and the entire class the the type writer! My 4th grade teacher was the coolest man! LOL

[duvaldude08]

I worked for the Setzer's at the very Pic N' Save you have pictured above on Old Kings & Baymeadows in the late '70's. Despite being in high school and having a work permit to only work as minor one night a week till midnight. I worked 90 hours a week as a part time employee. I remember making jokes about when full time employees had time sleep. They where there when I got there and still there when I left. We referred to the place as Pic N' Slave.

Speaking of Slavery, I've never worked for a more openly racist company. It was openly known that black employees where only allowed to work in the cafeteria or as floor buffers. They where not ever allowed to be moved or promoted to stockers or check out. Even in the cafeteria, whites were the managers and ran the cash register.

Later after leaving Pic N' Save I took a summer job doing home construction. One of our projects that summer was to build and extension on a home at the beaches belonging to one of the Setzer's (I forget which one). One Friday as we were packing up for the weekend, one of the guys fell into the pool. He happened to be black. Hearing the noise and laughter from the crew Setzer came storming out and seeing what had happened and who had fallen into his pool, demanded that we stay, drain the pool and clean it. Seriously. I don't know the man who started business. But have I first hand knowledge that the later Setzer's were some most racist, bigoted people in this city. If we are going to remember history, lets remember it all, the good and the bad.

Very true statement about the rascism. I have a white friend who is quite older than me (lol) and she said she was a cashier at Pic N Save and said that she could not believe the rasicism that existed. Times have really changed.