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The Belmar Acme first made it's appearance here on the blog back in February 2009 when Acme Style was just getting it's feet off the ground. Looking back, the pictures for the original post were kinda lame. I wasn't as adventurous with taking the pictures in the beginning. These days I take much more time trying to capture the finer details of these old stores. The sun was definitely more cooperative on this trip as well. You can view the original post by clicking here.
As you can see above, the Belmar store had the red oval logo sign which came along with the 80's remodel. This store was not remodeled in the 80's. It's Colonial Decor was traded out with the Convenience Store Decor of the late 90's, as you will see down below. Not sure of the exact closing date here. Most likely in the early 2000's as Albertsons pulled the plug on many older Acmes.
Bread delivery door to the Acme. The section the to left was a Rite Aid which just recently relocated to Main Street. The building the Rite Aid moved into may very well have been an Acme. It's small but has the signature air vents and certainly has the feel of an old grocery store space.
Remarkably clean and nicely painted back of the store. This area is highly visable to passing trains and roads on either side of the shopping center. NJ Transit train tracks are just to the left of the photo with the train station just behind where I was standing.
Blacked out Acme sign along with the breakroom & employee bathroom windows.
Acme awnings still intact. West Marine boating store takes up about half the former Acme space.
I believe the metal beam sticking out at the top was for lifting compressors to the second floor. These beams were commonly seen at the back of the pitched-roof stores.
Produce receiving doors on the right side of the building. A strip mall attached to the old Acme extends to right. Nice detailing here...
I have been wanting to give this model of Acme Markets a name... and I think I have come up with one. The Colonial Cottage. This building style was rolled out after the pitched-roof model was retired in the late 60's. The Colonial Cottage model included the "deluxe" version of the Colonial Decor... which I have no pictures of other than the Produce floor which can be seen here.
Other Colonial Cottages posted here on Acme Style include...
Manasquan is the only unaltered Colonial Cottage still open. The Acme in Dresher Pennsylvania is the same model but the awning has been upgraded costing it some of it's charm. There may be other stores that started out with this model but have had extensive renovations and additions.
The Belmar store looks to be nearly identical to Manasquan although it doesn't extend as far back making this store smaller in size. Looks as though the width is about the same.
The Colonial Cottages had only one set of doors on the outside. There isn't a second set of doors inside much like how the pitched-roof stores were set up.
The wall as soon as you walk in. Shopping to the right. The windows are in the manager's office. Manasquan has the same exact set up. I tried to snap a picture there but two employees kept looking out the windows. One who seemed to think I was up to something. Can't imagine why.
The famous Acme railing! A section has been removed here. The railing helped keep customer flow straight along the front of the store and over to Produce. No cutting to Dairy from here unless the first register was closed.
The Convenience Store decor saw the end of the "Bakery"... unless there was an in-store Bakery.
The Colonial Decor's brown and orange paneling still in place along the Meat department wall.
The sign over the back of the strip mall to the right of the Acme.
Are you sure that port reading is the same model of store? I had thought that it was a very different layout.
ReplyDeleteThat is true. Port Reading was larger and Produce was located on the entrance side of the building. I was talking more about the exterior style of the building... the roof along the awning, the sign frame, the style of the windows and the exterior decor details of this model.
ReplyDeleteHello all. When you look at the photos of the rear of Acme Belmar, you will see the "flex rail" delivery rail that was used to transport "swinging meat" from the trailer into thr meat room. Still in great condition.
ReplyDeleteAlso the beam used to lift the refrigeration compressors into the building still going strong.
Trex
The former Acme in Feasterville, PA also used this same exterior design, except for many years it had the "Script" Acme Markets signage before getting the oval singage. this particular laction closed when the newer Acme Sav-on in the same shopping center opened, which replaced the entire Bucks Mall
ReplyDeleteI used to work here... until it closed down. So strange to see it like this...
ReplyDelete