Jeffrey P Smith

The last time it did business in Southern California, Smith's Food & Drug Centers got run out of town. Now Salt Lake City-based Smith's is one of the hottest supermarket chains in the West, and it's coming back to the Southland with a score to settle. Will Smith's be a winner its second time around with its new king-size stores, where shoppers will be able to buy everything from concert tickets to takeout Chinese food to cold tablets?

It wouldn't make much sense for any of Southern California's debt-burdened supermarket chains to launch a price war. That would only make life tougher for them. Then again, price wars have a way of getting started even when few, if any, of the businesses involved want them. That's what is both worrying some supermarket analysts and raising hopes among consumer advocates these days.

It wouldn't make much sense for any of Southern California's debt-burdened supermarket chains to launch a price war. That would only make life tougher for them. Then again, price wars have a way of getting started even when few, if any, of the businesses involved want them. That's what is both worrying some supermarket analysts and raising hopes among consumer advocates these days.

The last time it did business in Southern California, Smith's Food & Drug Centers got run out of town. Now Salt Lake City-based Smith's is one of the hottest supermarket chains in the West, and it's coming back to the Southland with a score to settle. Will Smith's be a winner its second time around with its new king-size stores, where shoppers will be able to buy everything from concert tickets to takeout Chinese food to cold tablets?