48 Photos Depicting What American Grocery Stores Looked Like Throughout the Decades

In 1940, Arthur Rothstein captured a serene photo of a Salem, Illinois, grocery store before the turbulence of WWII reached the U.S. This image offers a nostalgic glimpse into a smaller yet notable city known for its contribution to the G.I. Bill.

The shelves of this 1940s supermarket featured a variety of goods, including fresh eggs and cocoa. It also featured brands that became household names in the 1930s, like General Mills and Mars. Thus, it is a time capsule of consumer culture.