After having trouble obtaining bank loans, The Akron announced in August 1975 that it had sold an 80% stake in the company to Jack A. Levin & Associates, which happened to be the company's largest supplier, while the three officers retained the remaining 20%. Jack Levin became chairman and CEO while Hadel was retained as president. Levin eventually increased his share in the company to 90%. Eight months later in April 1976, Levin sold a 40% interest in the company to Thrifty Drug Stores Company, Inc. and a 10% interest to Richard Ralphs, former CEO of Ralphs Grocery Company. Ralphs replaced Levin as chairman and CEO. A year later in March 1977, Thrifty increased their stake in Akron to 90% by purchasing the remaining 40% from Levin, 5% from president Richard Hadel, and 5% from Hadel's ex-wife. The only shares that Thrifty did not own at this time was the 10% owned by Ralphs, but Thrifty had an option purchase his shares anytime in the future. Under Thrifty, Hadel was retained as president until late 1977 or early 1978 when he had left to take a position at the Sunset House division of Carter Hawley Hale Stores. By October 1977, Akron had 23 stores and Columbus had 5 stores. At this time, Akron was still losing money, but not as much as before. Although Akron was losing money, Thrifty still opened new stores in rapidly expanding areas of Southern California. In November 1977, a new store opened in Laguna Hills. According to a "Los Angeles Times" article, this store was the 23rd store in the chain, the 20th store in Southern California, and the third store in Orange County. Later during the same month, another store was opened in Sunland-Tujunga. A fourth store in Orange County was opened in Huntington Beach in March 1978. In September of the same year, Thrifty tried something new by opening a new Akron adjacent to a new Thrifty Drug Store in the same shopping center in Whittier. There is no record if this experiment had improved sales for either store. To be closer to the headquarters of their corporate parent, Akron moved their corporate headquarters from Melrose Avenue to Wilshire Boulevard in August 1978. In November 1978, an announcement was made that Thrifty was selling 45% of the Akron to Pier 1. At the time of the sale, there was no information if Ralphs had still owned 10% of Akron. If that was true, then the 45% represented half of Thrifty's interest in Akron.