Lucky Stores chief during growth era

William H. Dyer Jr., 89, former chairman and chief executive of Lucky Stores during a period of robust growth for the food retailer, died Dec. 7 at his home in Alamo, Calif., after a long illness, according to the website, progressivegrocer.com

Born in Newport, Ark., Dyer was 15 when he moved to Southern California with his mother and stepfather. While going to Wilson High School in Long Beach, he found work at the Dollar Market Store in North Long Beach. He served in the Navy during World War II and after the war returned to work for the owner of Dollar Market, which by then had four locations, as the company’s personnel manager.

He quickly moved to vice president and general manager and his career continued to rise after Dollar was purchased by Foremost Dairies in 1956. Foremost had a 25% stake in Lucky Stores, and Dyer was named a vice president and director of the food retailer.

In 1959 he was promoted to regional manager, in charge of all food operations, and was elected president in 1967.

Four years later, he was named chairman and chief executive, posts he held until his retirement in 1974. He remained a director until 1987.

According to progressivegrocer.com, he was instrumental in implementing Lucky’s concept of “every day low prices.”