Abandoned ShopRite — Paramus, NJ

Here is the abandoned ShopRite in Bergen New Jersey just across from the Bergen Mall. I took these pictures back in March 2005 knowing it's days were probably numbered. The Bergen Mall was virtually abandoned at the time as well but plans were underway for a huge renovation. It has since reopened with a massive Whole Foods and a brand new Target. Don't know what's planned for this location. A replacement ShopRite is located just down the road. I was never at this store when it was open. Discovered it after it was closed.

UPDATE 7.14.09: This ShopRite post brought in more emails than any other post that I have put up on this blog. Thanks for the repsonse and additional information! To start, I had the wrong town listed for the location. This store was located in Paramus, not Bergen. Turns out there's no such thing as Bergen New Jersey.

A bunch of emails came in explaining the history of this location. Here's one that sums it all up very nicely...

"The Bergen Mall Food & Drug Annex started out with two grocery chains operating at either end and a Walgreen's in the middle. To the north a Food Fair, later Pantry Pride and south a Penn Fruit, later Dale's. Both brand changes a conversion to discount retailing i.e Acme Super Saver."

An anonymous reader posted a description of this store that is so great I had to include it in this update...

"This shoprite was truly a feast of yellows, browns and burnt oranges. Along one wall, they had swooshing, overlapping ShopRite signs each in orange, yellow and brown (kind of how the olympic rings overlap)...I remember being a kid in the 80's and being in this store and getting kind of dizzy looking at them. This store was a gem--and there is a, exact replica of this store in Springfield, NJ still operating as a ShopRite."

Road trip to the Sprigfield ShopRite is in the works!


There are alot of stores built like this around this area of New Jersey. The Kmart is Paramus is practically identical to this building. I plan on featuring that store eventually as a Bonus Store since it has such unique architecture.


Entrance and Exit.


The only interior shot I got. Check out the 70's stripes along the far wall.




Here's a look at the interior arched ceiling.


You can see the round ShopRite sign labelscar.




Here's a look at the store from Live Maps when it was still standing.


Rotate the view on Live Maps and the building is gone.

Former Acme — Philly, PA

(image above courtesy of Michael Lisicky)

Acme Style is, once again, very excited to present another photo sent in by Michael Lisicky. This store was located on the corner of 43rd and Locust in Philadelphia. Michael took this picture back in 1996. Closed and boarded up by then unfortunately but great to see the tower and parking lot sign still intact. The parking lot sign is one of the first outside signs that I have seen with that version of the logo. I had only ever seen that logo on packaging, uniforms and in store signage.

Here is the store today... CVS... now that's a surprise! Certianly a world of difference since it's Acme days. This is a screen grab from Google's Street View just about from the same exact spot where Michael took his picture!


Here's a Live Maps shot that shows how incredibly small the store was. Were the aisles short and many or long and few?