Smart & Final

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At Smart & Final, a regular noticed something strange one day. Every time he reached for canned beans, the announcement over the PA said, ‘Watch out for those cans—somebody’s been playing baseball with them!’ One day, a delivery driver mentioned it casually in the break room, and soon everyone was laughing about the mysterious ballplayer. A neighborhood kid even started leaving baseballs near the bean aisle as a joke. The store became known for its quirky announcements, attracting curious shoppers who came just to hear what the PA would say next.

2. At Smart & Final, a delivery driver once asked with a straight face, ‘Where do I put these boxes of invisible ink?’ The manager thought for a moment and replied, ‘Just leave them in the “Missed Connections” section.’ The delivery driver nodded solemnly, clearly relieved, while everyone in the store burst out laughing.

3. At Smart & Final, an elderly gentleman once asked aloud, ‘Why does everything here seem twice as heavy today?’ A nearby delivery driver overheard and replied, ‘Sir, it’s because you’re holding two bags instead of one!’ The old man smiled sheepishly, realizing his mistake, while a young employee chuckled and offered him a shopping cart. Back home, he proudly announced to his neighbor, ‘I just did my first successful grocery run without dropping anything!’

4. At Smart & Final, a little girl pointed excitedly and whispered, ‘Daddy, why do all these cans look like they’re dancing?’ Her dad smiled and gently explained, ‘Honey, those aren’t really dancing—just different shapes.’ She nodded thoughtfully then giggled, pointing again, ‘But Daddy, isn’t that can doing the robot?’ They both laughed as he pushed the cart forward, thinking maybe some things never stop moving, even in supermarkets.