Located at 123 Anderson Street in Hackensack, New Jersey, this former Acme is now occupied by a Rite Aid and Laundromat. A bank was located to the left side of the building but was probably added on after the Acme closed. You can see a slight difference in the color of the bricks used for the front of the bank. You can also see different bricks on the front of the Rite Aid. They don't quite seem to outline where the windows and doors to the Acme were... more likely covering a section that was occupied by another store when the Acme was first sub-divided. Interesting how the landlord has maintained the original look of the Acme over the years rather than upgrading the facade to a more modern look as tenants came and went.
This Acme closed in the late 70's to early 80's. I'm not sure of the local competition it may have had at the time or why this this store didn't survive. This location seems ideal for a grocery store and Acme was fairly invincible during the 70's and 80's. Most North Jersey stores of this style and size lasted until the 90's.
A left over Acme sign post there at the entrance. The script logo probably lined the awning all the way til the end. This store appears to have not gotten the "Super Saver" awning of the 70's, which later became just the regular Acme awning that most 50's/60's Acmes were upgraded to.
The back section and employee breakroom area are now a worship center. Certainly not the first time an old Acme became a house of worship. Several old pitched-roof stores became churches. They have yet to be featured on Acme Style but will be in the future.
This section was occupied by a bank but is now vacant. The original Acme awning appears to have been extended to this new section and matched carefully. I doubt this whole section was here when the building was an Acme but honestly, I have no idea. All of this went down many many years ago. Perhaps a Hackensack resident can offer some more information to the history of this store.
The front of this former Acme has a similar look to the Newton store minus the "Super Saver" awning.
Another Acme sign post remaining after all these years.
One last look at the front before we head above...
Like many 50's/60's stores... ample parking was available. Probably more than was ever needed even the day before Thanksgiving.
The awning and raised section in the back... classic Acme elements.
Leaving Hackensack and on to the next North Jersey destination...
Hi, i grew up in new milford had many relatives in hackensack. This Acme closed in 1972 as part of amass closing of twelve stores in bergen County. This store had competition from Glass Brothers Shop Rite at the Bergen mall, Finast of State Street, pathmark In Lodi, A&P in Lodi, Models (Yes They Sold groceries) Packer Bambergers(Kings), Two Guys, Food Town in teaneck, Finast and Grand Union in The Garden State Plaza also the A&P on main Street and the A&p on Anderson Avenue
ReplyDeleteI've been within blocks of that building countless times and even had I passed it, I doubt I would have suspected it was once an Acme... although that was long before I stumbled upon this site. For a location that closed almost 40 years ago, it has been very well preserved, although I'm sure the landlord simply didn't want to put money into the building rather than honor Acme's store design from the 1950s. It seems as though the extension that once housed a bank was built out to where the original canopy on the left side of the building came to an end. I'm guessing the structure behind the Acme is also a leftover from when a bank did business there? I'll have to check out the building next time I'm in the area.
ReplyDeleteHi, I stumbled upon this. The Acme that was there, which was called "Super Saver", was there when I was a child growing up in Hackensack. If my memory serves me right it was there up until at least '75 or '76. As far as I know the bank was always attached to the store. It was originally a United Jersey Bank. Even as a very young member of the community . I remember walking to the store and bank. Both were user friendly to the people in the community. The bank stayed well after the store left. We had alot of great memories of the store that was there :)
ReplyDeleteAcme opened at this location in 1959 (Oct 21).
ReplyDeleteFacing intense competition in the late 1960's, Acme converted seven stores to the Super Saver banner. This store closed as an Acme on 9/28/68 and reopened after a repaint three weeks later on 10/23 as a Super Saver. The transition involved re-merchandising the store, eliminating all Acme private label product and replacing it with "packer label." S&H Green Stamps were eliminated. Prices were reduced, and lot's of signs and banners proclaimed the lower prices. Initially sales increased dramatically, but by 1975 Acme had lost interest in Super Saver and also in Bergen County.
Bill, did the Super Saver stores come with new signage? I always assumed the Super Saver canopy was part of the remodels but obviously not since this one didn't get it.
ReplyDelete