11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
Former Acme — Chatham, NJ
To contact us Click HERE
Classic picture courtesy of GUman
Location: 471 Main Street, Chatham, NJ
Thanks to GUman we're treated to a before and after here in Chatham. Acme opened in this spot back in March 1966. The store closed around 1988-89. I very distinctly remember the day I heard they were pulling the plug. I had been by the Chatham store many times on the way to my Aunt's house but had never gone in. Riding along with the rents back in those days. As much as I wanted to say "Can we go in the Acme?", I didn't. My cousin told me the place was not in good shape and they didn't shop there. Too bad because the outside was pretty cool! An early Colonial Cottage model, the earliest one we've seen on the blog. Acme clearly had these stores going up during the pitched-roof era. I had pegged this model coming more towards the end of that era.
How about that classic photo? Interesting variation to the fish-eye sign. Three squares on either side of the sign all done in white. Nice touch with the gate along the roof-line. First time we're seeing either feature on the blog. I remember thinking this Acme looked unusual when we would pass it. Perhaps they tried to make it a little classier with Chatham being an affluent town.
The Acme building is now occupied by a CVS and some other smaller stores. The front side appears to have been completely rebuilt. I could find no scars along the brick walls or sidewalk to indicate the location of Acme's doors or windows. The side and rear do reveal some evidence of Acme...
Around back we see the compressor room doors. Steal lifting bar above has been removed.
Break room and bathroom windows.
From the front, you'd never know it had been an Acme. Certainly looked better back in the Acme days.
Heading back in time...
2007
2002
1987
1979
1970
1969
1966Brand new in 1966!
1963The Acme looks to have taken the place of the building in the left.
Flying over to a nearby competitor of the Acme...
A Kings food store just down the street from the Acme. Kings was on the scene as of 1979.
An odd set up for a grocery store. Blink and you'll miss it . The store has no windows facing out to the street.
I've added Kings to this post for two reasons... first, the company is currently being run by Acme's former President, Judy Spires. Secondly, the chain has just announced aggressive plans for the future with a rebranding of their stores and their website. You can read about the rebranding at Supermarket News. Check out the new logo and revamped website here. I don't care for the new tagline "Where inspiration strikes." There's nothing positive about the word "strikes", especially in the grocery store industry.
Not the most inviting of stores. The inside is quiet nice...
Yep, the iPhone 4S needs to be held dead still to get a sharp picture. Looks like that managed to happen only in aisle 4.
Maybe just 7 or 8 aisles. The last few weren't numbered. They're also shorter here to make room for the Deli and Bakery up front.
Kings stores are much smaller than in size to regular grocery stores. They specialize in carrying higher end selection of the products. You won't pay more for your groceries. I was doing some price comparisons and found several items here significantly higher than at Whole Foods!
Views from Main Street...
Through the years...
1987
1979
1970No idea what was located here back in '70.
1957
Kings will be remodeling it's stores along with their latest rebranding effort. The Bedminster store was the first to get remodeled and just had it's grand reopening last Friday . You can read more about that on mycentraljersey.com. I plan on checking out the store in the near future. I would have liked to include some coverage of it in this post but could not squeeze a visit in before this post was to go up.
Classic picture courtesy of GUmanLocation: 471 Main Street, Chatham, NJ
Thanks to GUman we're treated to a before and after here in Chatham. Acme opened in this spot back in March 1966. The store closed around 1988-89. I very distinctly remember the day I heard they were pulling the plug. I had been by the Chatham store many times on the way to my Aunt's house but had never gone in. Riding along with the rents back in those days. As much as I wanted to say "Can we go in the Acme?", I didn't. My cousin told me the place was not in good shape and they didn't shop there. Too bad because the outside was pretty cool! An early Colonial Cottage model, the earliest one we've seen on the blog. Acme clearly had these stores going up during the pitched-roof era. I had pegged this model coming more towards the end of that era. How about that classic photo? Interesting variation to the fish-eye sign. Three squares on either side of the sign all done in white. Nice touch with the gate along the roof-line. First time we're seeing either feature on the blog. I remember thinking this Acme looked unusual when we would pass it. Perhaps they tried to make it a little classier with Chatham being an affluent town.
The Acme building is now occupied by a CVS and some other smaller stores. The front side appears to have been completely rebuilt. I could find no scars along the brick walls or sidewalk to indicate the location of Acme's doors or windows. The side and rear do reveal some evidence of Acme...
Around back we see the compressor room doors. Steal lifting bar above has been removed.Break room and bathroom windows. From the front, you'd never know it had been an Acme. Certainly looked better back in the Acme days. Heading back in time...
2007200219871979197019691966Brand new in 1966!1963The Acme looks to have taken the place of the building in the left. Flying over to a nearby competitor of the Acme...
A Kings food store just down the street from the Acme. Kings was on the scene as of 1979.An odd set up for a grocery store. Blink and you'll miss it . The store has no windows facing out to the street. I've added Kings to this post for two reasons... first, the company is currently being run by Acme's former President, Judy Spires. Secondly, the chain has just announced aggressive plans for the future with a rebranding of their stores and their website. You can read about the rebranding at Supermarket News. Check out the new logo and revamped website here. I don't care for the new tagline "Where inspiration strikes." There's nothing positive about the word "strikes", especially in the grocery store industry. Not the most inviting of stores. The inside is quiet nice... Yep, the iPhone 4S needs to be held dead still to get a sharp picture. Looks like that managed to happen only in aisle 4. Maybe just 7 or 8 aisles. The last few weren't numbered. They're also shorter here to make room for the Deli and Bakery up front. Kings stores are much smaller than in size to regular grocery stores. They specialize in carrying higher end selection of the products. You won't pay more for your groceries. I was doing some price comparisons and found several items here significantly higher than at Whole Foods!Views from Main Street...Through the years...
198719791970No idea what was located here back in '70.1957Kings will be remodeling it's stores along with their latest rebranding effort. The Bedminster store was the first to get remodeled and just had it's grand reopening last Friday . You can read more about that on mycentraljersey.com. I plan on checking out the store in the near future. I would have liked to include some coverage of it in this post but could not squeeze a visit in before this post was to go up. The Acmes of Morrisville, PA
To contact us Click HERE
Location: 545 West Trenton Avenue, Morrisville, PA
Opening in 1995, this store replaced two other Morrisville Acmes, which we'll take a look at down below. The style of the building falls into the 90's "fortress" look, a most appropriate description given to us by Acme Style contributor Rob Ascough. The design here is a bit different than seen on other models and may even be one-of-a-kind. At this store, windows do not extend up the front of the towers and there is no covered walkway between the towers. You can compare this facade with the more commonly seen fortress design at the store in Willingboro and Woodbury.
I've visited this store a couple of times over the past few years. Some interior shots from my first visit back in 2009 were used for the decor directory. I returned last December to do full coverage. The parking lot has been about this full... or this empty... each time I've been here. Giant is a stone's throw away. It arrived sometime after the Acme. Comments left on the blog indicate that Acme competed strongly against the Acme for a few years but Giant eventually won out. One interesting difference between the two stores... Acme has a pharmacy and Giant does not.
Check that out... square windows in Produce! No arches, which is unusual. A banner has been added to this side of the store as it faces Route 13.
Around to the other side...
Fake windows over here. Notice that this side is much shorter. The back side of the store is angled due to the property configuration. We'll get a better look at that from the satellite images.
We'll enter here and head straight over to Produce...
The 90's Red/White/Blue package in all of its glory. I believe this to be one of only two stores to still have it. The other other being Willingboro, NJ.
I still love this decor package. Takes me back to the final decade of American Stores.
This store is huge. I would guess its over 60,000 square feet. You're looking down the center aisle which extends from Bakery to the Dairy wall. I don't think this location has a Wild Harvest section. I could be wrong but I do not recall seeing one.
Sad "Lancaster" sign. At least it got better treatment here than in the 80's remodel. See Sharon Hill.
The red lettered department signs were originally back lit with red neon lights. You can see the Deli sign lit up in the Willingboro store.
Left over lighting from the "Max Pac" (I think I have that name right) section of the store. Acme rolled out these warehouse-style departments back when Costco and BJ's were making a big splash in the 90's. Super-sized versions of all sorts of merchandise.
Center aisle looking towards the Bakery side of the store.
Last aisle is shorter than the rest with the Dairy wall angled towards the back of the store.
Not much happening here at 9:30 on a Saturday morning. Giant was a ghost town too. Guess the folks of Morrisville sleep in pretty late.
The lights are working behind the Acme sign!
A shot from a previous visit when there were leaves on the trees.
Interesting shape to the store.
Checking out the neighbors....
Acme to the right, Giant to the left. Sears Hardware and a strip mall in between.
Not sure of the exact arrival of this store May have been a year or two after Acme opened. From the satellite images, it appears this Giant was built in place of an existing, smaller store.
This store lacks the black glass tiles often seen on the fronts of 90's styled Giants.
Looks to have been remodeled since it first opened. Giants had a red and white theme in the early to mid 90's. The cream and green color scheme here came towards the end of the 90's and may have been brought over from the Edwards chain. I was never a fan of the tiles in Giant's Produce departments. Rough ride for the shopping cart.
This Giant had a strange vibe to it. I was here just a few weeks before Christmas and was surprised to see scaled back selections in most of the service departments. Some cases even blocked by random displays or filled with random merchandise.
Here's an example... the Butcher Shoppe didn't have much to offer at 10:00 on a Saturday morning.
Interesting how extensive the selection is in Giant's Bakeries. Stop and Shop, another chain in the Ahold family, doesn't come close which I'll never understand. Speaking of which...
The fruit bowl logo-ed products have arrived at Giant! Similar situation to Acme where the private label no longer has any ties to the name of the store. What's even more confusing here is that the fruit bowl logo has no name and no association with the Giant/Carlisle store branding. At least Acme's new private label has a name on the box!
Slow start to the day here too.
Now we'll take a look at the other Acmes of Morrisville...
Click on the map above for a larger view.The fish-eye signs are numbered to show
the locations of the stores below.
Former Acme #1: Located at 1 East Trenton Ave, was featured on the blog back in July 2009. A pitched-roof model which is currently a Garden Farm Market. For the original post, please click here.
Interior Acme sign still intact! It's a beautiful thing.
This pitched-roof model opened in August of 1967. It was a replacement to a flat-roof store in the very same spot. The original store opened in 1953 and burned down in 1966.
Former Acme #2:Located at 860 Lincoln Highway...
Image courtesy of JoshAutin610's flickr photo stream
The Acme to the left; a former Clover store on the right. Now a giant self storage facility. Acme moved from the #3 spot on the map to this location taking over the space previously occupied by Clover's grocery store. I accidentally whizzed by this place without stopping to take pictures. Relying mostly on aerial shots for this location. Wish I stopped to get a closer look at the back.
Former Acme #3:Located at 676 Lincoln Highway, Fairless Hills...
This former Acme was featured on the blog back in December. Click here for the original post. Opened in August 1960 and closed in the 70's to relocate next to the Clover.
Now leaving Morrisville Pennsylvania...
Location: 545 West Trenton Avenue, Morrisville, PA
Opening in 1995, this store replaced two other Morrisville Acmes, which we'll take a look at down below. The style of the building falls into the 90's "fortress" look, a most appropriate description given to us by Acme Style contributor Rob Ascough. The design here is a bit different than seen on other models and may even be one-of-a-kind. At this store, windows do not extend up the front of the towers and there is no covered walkway between the towers. You can compare this facade with the more commonly seen fortress design at the store in Willingboro and Woodbury. I've visited this store a couple of times over the past few years. Some interior shots from my first visit back in 2009 were used for the decor directory. I returned last December to do full coverage. The parking lot has been about this full... or this empty... each time I've been here. Giant is a stone's throw away. It arrived sometime after the Acme. Comments left on the blog indicate that Acme competed strongly against the Acme for a few years but Giant eventually won out. One interesting difference between the two stores... Acme has a pharmacy and Giant does not. Check that out... square windows in Produce! No arches, which is unusual. A banner has been added to this side of the store as it faces Route 13. Around to the other side...
Fake windows over here. Notice that this side is much shorter. The back side of the store is angled due to the property configuration. We'll get a better look at that from the satellite images. We'll enter here and head straight over to Produce...The 90's Red/White/Blue package in all of its glory. I believe this to be one of only two stores to still have it. The other other being Willingboro, NJ. I still love this decor package. Takes me back to the final decade of American Stores. This store is huge. I would guess its over 60,000 square feet. You're looking down the center aisle which extends from Bakery to the Dairy wall. I don't think this location has a Wild Harvest section. I could be wrong but I do not recall seeing one. Sad "Lancaster" sign. At least it got better treatment here than in the 80's remodel. See Sharon Hill. The red lettered department signs were originally back lit with red neon lights. You can see the Deli sign lit up in the Willingboro store. Left over lighting from the "Max Pac" (I think I have that name right) section of the store. Acme rolled out these warehouse-style departments back when Costco and BJ's were making a big splash in the 90's. Super-sized versions of all sorts of merchandise. Center aisle looking towards the Bakery side of the store.Last aisle is shorter than the rest with the Dairy wall angled towards the back of the store.Not much happening here at 9:30 on a Saturday morning. Giant was a ghost town too. Guess the folks of Morrisville sleep in pretty late. The lights are working behind the Acme sign!A shot from a previous visit when there were leaves on the trees.Interesting shape to the store.Checking out the neighbors....
Acme to the right, Giant to the left. Sears Hardware and a strip mall in between. Not sure of the exact arrival of this store May have been a year or two after Acme opened. From the satellite images, it appears this Giant was built in place of an existing, smaller store. This store lacks the black glass tiles often seen on the fronts of 90's styled Giants. Looks to have been remodeled since it first opened. Giants had a red and white theme in the early to mid 90's. The cream and green color scheme here came towards the end of the 90's and may have been brought over from the Edwards chain. I was never a fan of the tiles in Giant's Produce departments. Rough ride for the shopping cart.This Giant had a strange vibe to it. I was here just a few weeks before Christmas and was surprised to see scaled back selections in most of the service departments. Some cases even blocked by random displays or filled with random merchandise. Here's an example... the Butcher Shoppe didn't have much to offer at 10:00 on a Saturday morning. Interesting how extensive the selection is in Giant's Bakeries. Stop and Shop, another chain in the Ahold family, doesn't come close which I'll never understand. Speaking of which...The fruit bowl logo-ed products have arrived at Giant! Similar situation to Acme where the private label no longer has any ties to the name of the store. What's even more confusing here is that the fruit bowl logo has no name and no association with the Giant/Carlisle store branding. At least Acme's new private label has a name on the box! Slow start to the day here too.Now we'll take a look at the other Acmes of Morrisville...
Click on the map above for a larger view.The fish-eye signs are numbered to showthe locations of the stores below.
Former Acme #1: Located at 1 East Trenton Ave, was featured on the blog back in July 2009. A pitched-roof model which is currently a Garden Farm Market. For the original post, please click here.
Interior Acme sign still intact! It's a beautiful thing.This pitched-roof model opened in August of 1967. It was a replacement to a flat-roof store in the very same spot. The original store opened in 1953 and burned down in 1966. Former Acme #2:Located at 860 Lincoln Highway...
Image courtesy of JoshAutin610's flickr photo streamThe Acme to the left; a former Clover store on the right. Now a giant self storage facility. Acme moved from the #3 spot on the map to this location taking over the space previously occupied by Clover's grocery store. I accidentally whizzed by this place without stopping to take pictures. Relying mostly on aerial shots for this location. Wish I stopped to get a closer look at the back.Former Acme #3:Located at 676 Lincoln Highway, Fairless Hills...
This former Acme was featured on the blog back in December. Click here for the original post. Opened in August 1960 and closed in the 70's to relocate next to the Clover.Now leaving Morrisville Pennsylvania...
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