Uniquely is a Fresno Bee series that covers the moments, landmarks and personalities that define what makes living in the Fresno area so special.
The site of a former Armenian-owned Fresno grocery store that has been vacant for more than two decades is undergoing a quiet transformation that could mark the first step in a new era for the retail space.
Hanoian’s Market located at the corner of Butler and Cedar avenues served multiple generations of Fresnans when it operated from 1956 to 2001.
Beloved by many, the store was considered one of the first major shopping facilities in southeast Fresno, according to a 1991 story published in The Fresno Bee. In addition to the grocery space, the retail center had a pharmacy, laundromat, sporting good store, barber shop, beauty salon and health food store.
A July 27, 2001, story in The Bee referred to it as a “southeast Fresno landmark.”
And the building, with its mid-century modern exterior and eight-feet high letters spelling out the family name, still attracts attention from the street and on social media.