For those who had seen this post on Tuesday and wondered where it went... it was pulled due to inaccurate information. I had reported this as a former Acme Market. Evidence to the contrary was quickly sent in by a reliable and helpful Acme Style fan. Since I didn't have time to restructure the post, I took it down due to Acme Style's 100% Accuracy Guarantee Policy. It's back now as the "Not a former Acme, Ridgewood NJ" post. At this point I am not sure if Ridgewood ever had an Acme but it does have this very interesting Kings Market. Turns out it was built as a Food Fair and later became a Finast. Unfortunately this Kings does not meet Acme Style's stringent requirements for "Bonus Store" status so it will live on here as a not-former-acme.
Now this was a great find! The emergency exit map in the back corner of the store. Take a close look at the back room space... there isn't any! Kings lengthened most of the aisles into what was originally the back room and the meat room. This store does have a basement which Kings must be using for nearly all of it's storage. The size of the store is virtually identical to Acmes built throughout the 50's. It's quite fascinating to see how Kings has taken such a small store and had merchandised it to it's fullest potential. Produce, Bakery and Deli all appear to be exceptional departments. There is full service Seafood along the back wall with the meat cases. This area of the store has been pushed all the way to the back wall of the building. There is a drop ceiling throughout this area that does make it feel like your in the back room.
You can see how this aerial shot had me pretty convinced that this was in fact a former Acme.
Here you can see the relatively new Super Stop and Shop one block away. The store is definitely the smallest Stop and Shop to be called "Super". There appears to be a basement in the store and the Pharmacy is located on the second floor which can be accessed by an elevator. From the information I received about the Kings, this site was formally occupied by a Grand Union which appears to have been torn down and replaced by a new Stop and Shop.
Hi,This store was never and Acme to my Knowledge.This was originaly a Food fairnad was then solf to First National.My dad managed this store for Finast for several years in the
ReplyDeletemidsixties for Finast.I worked their forsveralsummersandmy Brother In Law was the Produce Manager and had grown up in that town his dad was a police seagent in town
Acme Style, Food Fair (after becoming the lousy Pantry Pride) went out of business in 1978. That gave lots of these stores just enough time to be converted to Acme after closing. Many of them became standard 70's Acmes, post-pitched roof, but complete with this: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_246OMBI86f8/SfX3F57rZ7I/AAAAAAAAA2Y/ba1ju6Itn1s/s1600-h/acme_style_clayton_05.jpg
ReplyDeleteAcme style, there was an Acme in Ridgewood but it was on the west side of town on W. Ridgewood Ave. I believe it was a drug store, maybe a Drug Fair back in the late 70's - 80's until Whole FOods took it over and it is very successful now; kind of amazing since it has an extremely small & tight parking lot. Best of all, that store is a pitched roof / A Frame. It was probably an Acme in the 60's - 70's... check it out!
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable! First of all, I had no idea that there was an old pitched-roof store in Ridgewood. Also had no idea that there was a Whole Foods in Ridgewood! I can't believe someone didn't mention this sooner. I will be heading there soon for a visit. Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteHi Acme Style, my earlier post neglected the right address for that Whole Foods; it's actually 44 Godwin Ave. which is west of the train station... They've remade the facade much different however there's a portion of the outside of the building where you can see the original pitched roof and I imagine that if you see the inside, you'll catch more detail! Good luck! (Chatham Acme guy)
ReplyDeleteI searched for the Whole Foods in Ridgewood and found it. I half didn't believe you cause I thought I knew where all the North Jersey Whole Foods were! But you were absolutely right. Such a cool find! I love being tipped off to things like this just when I think I've got all the Acmes tracked down. I get this posted sometime in the next few months. I'll include a mention of the other Whole Foods/former Acme pitched-roof in Jenkintown PA.
ReplyDeleteGreat! Glad you found it... yeah, its a cool find because the Whole Foods really utilized that small space in an amazing way. Makes you wonder why the Acme's, GU's & A&P's couldn't develop a concept for those smaller stores to keep them going!
ReplyDeleteThe Whole Foods in Ridgewood (former pitched-roof Acme) is also a very small store but did add a few small additions when they took over the space from Drug Fair. I am not sure if the size is similar to the new Morristown location but I will say for a small store, the Ridgewood store does awesome business. FYI – speaking of Whole Foods, for years they have been trying to build a new store in Closter, NJ at the old Stop & Shop location (former Grand Union) in Closter Plaza but A&P has been holding them up. However, I heard Whole Foods will finally get to break ground in the near future. I wonder what will happen to the Closter Kmart which is in poor shape and is the part of Closter Plaza that is going to get a huge overhaul.
ReplyDeleteI've done further research on the Whole Foods in Ridgewood and have unfortunately found no evidence that it was ever an Acme. The address is not found on any of the numerous directories that I have.
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