John C. Mabee

"Big Bear Markets" redirects here. For the midwestern U.S. supermarket chain, see Big Bear Stores.
John Mabee
Born(1921-08-21)August 21, 1921
Seymour, Iowa, U.S.
DiedApril 24, 2002(2002-04-24) (aged 80)
Ramona, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Businessman:
Supermarkets
Sports team owner
Racehorse owner/breeder
AwardsEclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder
(1991, 1997, 1998)

John C. Mabee (August 21, 1921 – April 24, 2002) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder whom About.com called "a California racing icon."

A native of Seymour, Iowa, as a young man of twenty, John Mabee moved to San Diego, California, where the climate more suited his health, having had pneumonia and bronchitis. There, he established Johnny's Market on 43rd Street. He turned that corner grocery store into the highly successful Big Bear Markets chain in San Diego County, selling it in 1994 to Albertsons and Fleming Companies.[1][2][3]

  1. ^ "Retailing". Los Angeles Times. October 4, 1993. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  2. ^ "Big Bear Sells Cook's Division". Supermarket News. October 17, 1994. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Johnson, Greg (September 13, 1988). "Grocery King Isn't Content to Sit on Shelf". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 15, 2022. The chain is not related to the larger and publicly traded Columbus, Ohio-based Big Bear grocery chain.