Ever since Ray and Blanche Magee decided to start their own business, Magee’s Nuts has been providing world-class gourmet nuts, butters and other specialty food items to their many local customers and worldwide travelers. From the beginning, in a small seven foot space with barrels and scrap lumber as their only fixtures, a loan of twenty dollars as their only capital, and barely enough merchandise to make a display, they opened for business the first day of the grand opening of the Grand Central Market, the showplace of Southern California in October of 1917.

In 1934, with the development of the now-famous Farmers Market location on Fairfax Avenue, Magee's became the first non-farmer business and has remained there today as its oldest and most revered tenant. While Mr. Magee handled the Grand Central concessions, Mrs. Magee spent her full time working on the new venture. The business seemed to fall into a natural division of labor, with Mr. Magee handling the administrative end, the buying, etc., and Mrs. Magee handling the problems of display, kitchen work and personnel. Mr. Sizelove, Blanche's brother, came in as general manager in 1941 to relieve Mrs. Magee of some of the duties, and the five Magee children began learning the business by helping out on Saturdays and vacations.

Built on a foundation of quality gourmet nuts, Magee's continues to serve up home-town service with a wide variety of nuts, butters, and specialty items from throughout the world. From its popular Cashews, Macadamia Nuts, and Almonds, to their delicious home-made Butters still churned right in front of you every day, and specialty foods such as fresh-grated horseradish made daily. Magees has built a tradition of standards of quality comparable to the one they have attained in fine foods. The same can apply to the personnel, the staff that serves today’s customers have a long history with Magees – some have worked at the store for over 20 years – a rarity in today’s dynamic lifestyle.