Edwin Elton Cox was one of the most influential merchants and civic leaders in Tustin's history.

He and his wife, Leola Cox, opened Preston & Cox Market at the corner of Main Street and El Camino Real in 1936. The business later became the Tustin Food Center, which for many years was Tustin's primary grocery store. At the time it opened, it was the town's only full-service market

Some highlights of Edwin Cox's life include:
A: He was born in Santa Ana on September 17, 1907.
B: Before opening the market, he worked as an accountant for Smart & Final Wholesale Grocery.
C: In 1957, Edwin and Leola purchased the building that housed the Tustin Food Center after leasing it for many years.

D: He was deeply involved in the community, serving as:
1 ) Co-founder of the Tustin Chamber of Commerce
2 ) Volunteer firefighter
3 ) Reserve police officer
4 ) Tustin Unified High School Board member (1945–1954)
5 ) Founding member of the Tustin Lions Club
6 ) Boy Scout leader and Sea Scout co-founder
7 ) Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteer during World War II.

His dual role as a local merchant and fire chief made him an important figure in Tustin's mid-20th century history, reflecting the era when many civic leaders were also local business owners..

The former Tustin Food Center building still stands today as Cox's Market Plaza at 140 E. Main Street in Old Town Tustin. It has been preserved as a historic commercial landmark, with exhibits highlighting Tustin's early agricultural and business history. Edwin and Leola's son, Phil Cox, helped preserve the building and its history for future generations.