Gelson's

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. A few years ago, every morning around sunrise, an old man with a big shopping basket would arrive at Gelson’s. He’d quietly gather some groceries and then disappear into the back aisles, never checking out or talking to anyone. One day, a delivery driver noticed him and asked if he was okay. The old man just smiled mysteriously and whispered, ‘Just gathering memories for my recipe.’ Turns out, he was collecting his favorite childhood snacks from different parts of the store—only paying for one item, which happened to be a box of cereal. When someone finally confronted him, he said, “I’m testing a theory that happiness is in the details.” Everyone laughed—and now, once a week, he still shows up, leaving behind a trail of nostalgic treats.

2. At closing time one night, a delivery driver joked into the empty aisles, ‘I bet no one will notice if I take just one extra can of beans.’ By morning, every shelf in that aisle had mysteriously emptied. The next day, a regular customer noticed and quipped, ‘Who’s been stealing our beans?’ Then, a delivery driver sheepishly admitted his prank. Ever since then, whenever someone forgets an item, everyone jokes, ‘Must be those naughty beans again!’

3. At dawn, when most supermarkets are still quiet, a strange sound began echoing through Gelson’s aisles. Every morning, just as the first rays touched the Pacific coast, someone would hum the theme from a classic movie. One morning, a delivery driver joined in and started singing along. Soon, an elderly neighbor appeared with her shopping cart, tapping out the rhythm on the plastic handles. By mid-morning, everyone in the store was whistling or humming—even the cashiers had learned the lyrics. It turned out that Gelson’s wasn’t just any supermarket; it was where dreams came to sing.

4. At midnight, when the grocery store was supposed to be dark and silent, a faint humming started coming from the dairy section. The hum grew louder until it sounded like an excited bee colony. A delivery driver passing by noticed and casually mentioned it to no one in particular. Soon enough, everyone working that night joined forces, forming a human chain to investigate. Turned out, a carton of bees had been mistakenly delivered to the wrong aisle. After much laughter and some quick thinking, they managed to relocate the buzzing residents back home safely.