Classic images courtesy of trex354
Location: 1601 North High Street, Millville NJ
The old Millvile Acme seen here closed back in 2005 when a new replacement store opened about a mile away. That new store, which we will take a brief look at down below, is now a former Acme as well... the last of the 6 stores closing this February to be featured on the blog.
I have been referring to this model of Acme as the "Colonial Cottage" mainly due to the stylings of the front windows, the door frames and other details used around the store. I imagine too that the deluxe version of the 70's Colonial Decor was developed for these stores which included the slate tile floor in the produce department. This particular model was rolled out as the pitched-roof era was coming to an end in the late 60's. A nearly identical store to this one is still open in Manaquan NJ. The abandoned location in Belmar NJ is similar as well.
The delivery doors had significant details not seen in previous models. You can see close up details on the Belmar's doors. The door seen here was lead to the small storage room used for bread deliveries.
The Belmar store was had a similar set up with with a strip mall extending out of the right side.
Zooming in for a closer look...
A close-up of the windows which gives us a look at the inside. If you click on the picture for the larger view you'll be able to see a hint of checkerboard pattern in the middle window and the blue light boxes above the checkouts.
The famous beam sticking out of the roof for lifting compressors to the second floor.
2006
The Acme is the building at the top of the strip. Massive parking lot to the side of the building.
The store has been converted to an "Anytime Fitness" 24-hour gym. Wanna go inside and check it out? Click here.
Some Google street view images to show the back of the store. Google didn't have street level views of the front. The road seen here seems to have developed into more of a main street through town than North High Street which the shopping center faces.
And now about a mile up the road to the replacement store...
Image courtesy of AcmeFan85
Location: 101 Bluebird Lane, Millville NJ
As mentioned above, the new Acme opened back in March 2005 next door to Lowes. Acme set up shop in the part of town which already had an established Pathmark and Walmart. A ShopRite opened on theo other side of the Acme in August 2007. The Pathmark was the first to give up and closed back in October 2010 as part of A&P's closing of 25 stores.
The image of the new store comes to us courtesy of AcmeFan85. I was hoping someone would be able to get us some additional photos, especially of the interior, but none have come in. The interior was undoubtedly the Alberstons Marketplace decor.
Above is a look at the nearby compeition. The old Acme is in the lower portion of the image. Target, Kohls and ShopRite are newer addtions to town. The Cumberland Mall sits just North of the Walmart/Pathmark shopping center.
The ShopRite under construction in the upper left.
A close-up view on Bing Maps reveals the store completed and open for business.
The Pathmark located across the street.
2002
1995
1972
2007
2006
2002
1995
1970
1963
The Millville Acme closed for good on Wednesday February 23. Thanks to trex354 and AcmeFan85 for making this post possible.
The current (well, recently-current) Millville Acme looks like a typical Albertsons-era store but the previous one is of a design that I feel is very underappreciated. Maybe it's because that style of store followed the A-frames that have a cult-like following? With that "Colonial Cottage" design (don't know what the office name was, so I'll go with that), Acme seemed to return to the late 50's/ear;y 60's design but with a fresh look. Too bad it doesn't seem that many of these were built- I'm guessing the company didn't have the need for so many new and replacement stores by the end of the 60's?
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the ones listed by the webmaster, the former Port Reading (still standing) and New Providence (demolished) stores previously featured on this site had the same look. There's also the Drescher store with a variation of the look, but I want to say that store was built in the 50's. Perhaps it got the look as part of a remodel?
It's a shame that the old Millville Acme (1140) never did what Wildwood,NJ did and build a new store on their current location. Then I feel Acme would have the vantage point as far as being the only store in that location. Most of us seem to learn from or mistakes, however Acme seems to be a slow learner when placing new store on location.
ReplyDeleteT.
Rob,
ReplyDeleteWould you classify Manalapan as a colonial cottage? I think it is a twin to Port Reading. But, if I remember correctly, both Manalapan and Port Reading had different setups than Manasquan and Belmar. I believe that Manasquan and Belmar had produce in the front corner, where port reading and manalapan had produce as aisle 1.
Does anybody know what decor the old Millville store had before it was closed?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the pictures, it seems to be checkerboard arch.
ReplyDeleteYes, it had the Checkerboard Arch decor which, as I mentioned, you can see for yourself in the windows.
ReplyDelete"Colonial Cottage" is not the official name. I completely made it up to give this particular type of Acme a name for reference. I based the name on the front windows, the door frames and the colonial style light fixtures that are above the delivery doors.
"Colonial" fits great. Many stores (most closed) had simalar store fronts. Haddonfield NJ, Onley,VA, Salem,NJ and others.
ReplyDeletethe oddest thing about the newer millville is the red and white aisle markers they had and some sort of pictures above it. I have never seen that version, which the tan and blue ones they have in many stores like cape may court house has. check out the news feed about the attack which happened there last year, and you can see the aisle markers in the video from cbs3.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. At first I thought the video had switched to Target. I had seen that attack video before but never got to that wide shot of the store.
ReplyDeleteMaybe an employee who's still working on clearing out the store can get some pics for us? Someone? Anyone??
Would these 6 Acmes be closed as of today? (February 27)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder. I will be updating the store count. The 26th was the working closing date for most of the stores but several closed earlier in the week.
ReplyDeleteTo the anonymous posted above, where was the Manalapan store?
ReplyDeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteIt was at 300 gordons corner rd.
I guess that means you don't have any pictures of it ...
Ah, Gordons Corner Road. I had previous seen that store listed as Englishtown, that's why it didn't sound familiar. I don't have any photos nor am I even 100% positive I have the correct building- was it at the end of an L-shaped strip mall? If so, Historic Aerials shows the store appeared in the early 70s, which means it was built during the Colonial Cottage era. However, aerial photos show a facade that doesn't resemble other Acme stores built at the time so I'm guessing it was designed to blend in with the rest of the shopping center and if those aerial photos are accurate, the look hasn't changed in the years since the Acme shut down. I'll have to check it out for myself one of these days.
ReplyDeleteRob,
ReplyDeleteThe store did match the shopping center. But, the shopping center has been redone in the last year. So, it looks different now. The store was at the end of the L shaped building, facing pease rd.
There is always some confusion with Englishtown and Manalapan. Years ago, everything was in Englishtown (including the post office) and Manalapan was all farmland. Up until the 80's, all of manalapan had englishtown mailing address. Later they moved the post office, and both Englishtown and Manalapan are ok. The Acme was in Manalapan, and as far as I know, was always refered to as Manalapan.
Makes sense now, thanks.
ReplyDeleteFigures that the strip mall was only recently changed. Bing Maps shows it as it was and the building definitely didn't resemble a Colonial Cottage. It doesn't even have the raised section towards the back of the building that seemed to be common to all Acme stores built after the mid-50's. I'm guessing the building was constructed before Acme signed the lease? Speaking of that area, does anyone know of an Acme that used to be in Jackson?
Rob,
ReplyDeleteI have a vague memory of seeing an abandoned pitch roof store in Jackson. It was across the street from where the stop and shop is now. There is a CVS on the same spot as the acme, but it is a new building.
Rob,
ReplyDeleteRegarding Manalapan, I think the store was completely identical to Port Reading except for the fascade. Port reading doesn't seem to have the raised section either. Also, it seems that every door and window is in exactly the same place.
Wow! I was just asking my mother (who currently lives and grew up in Jackson) about the Acme that was there. I remembered there was a pitched roof store and wondered if it was in fact Acme. Rob is right. It is where the CVS currently resides. My uncle used to own the Red Moon Pizzeria in the strip mall where Acme was. The reason I asked my mother was because I always remembered my grandmother referring to that store as a Fine Fare. Maybe it converted at some point? My mother did not know if it was ever Fine Fare (We moved out of the area for a while) but is sure that it was once an Acme.
ReplyDeleteThe old Acme in Feasterville, PA also had the "colonial cottage" look. It is now David's Bridal and a chinese buffet. The Acme moved into what was the Bucks County Mall in the mid to late '90s. The old entrance to the mall is now the entrance to the Acme. It's a pretty cool looking store if you're ever in Feasterville you should check it out. There's a centennial A&P next to it that is now a TJ Maxx.
ReplyDeleteThanks but I can't take credit for disclosing the location of the Jackson store- that goes to one of the anonymous posters (who deserves my thanks for helping me to find a store I could never seem to locate.) I didn't know the building was long gone- Historic Aerials helped me make sense of everything.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the attack mentioned in one of the above comments?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2010/02/millville_man_charged_in_acme.html
ReplyDeleteI found a 2015 article about the former Acmes in Millville: http://www.thedailyjournal.com/story/news/history/2015/04/16/local-history-millvilles-first-acme-opens-in-1950/25907621/
ReplyDeleteDespite the headline saying that the "first Acme" opened in Millville in 1950, the article refers to three former Acmes in that city, which the 1950 store replaced.
The article includes an exterior shot showing the ACME tower of store 4 listed below, plus two interior photos from the same location.
So Millville seems to have had six Acmes. Is this more more than any other town?
1. North High Street (1): unknown year to c. 1950
2. North High Street (2): unknown year to c. 1950
3. Foundry Street: unknown year to c. 1950
4. High and Main streets: Nov. 15, 1950, to c. 1965 (7,000 square feet selling area). Razed in the 1970s (according to caption on first photo in the article).
5. Wheaton Plaza at 1601 North High Street: April 28, 1965, to 2005 (19,000 square feet)
6. Millville Town Center at 101 Bluebird Lane: March 2005 to February 23, 2011 (54,000 square feet)