Location: 829 Montgomery Avenue, Narbeth PA
Dating all the way back to 1951, the store looks to have had 2 expansions over the decades. The first happening quite soon after it was first built. The second occuring decades later, sometime after 2002. The lastest expansion is the portion of the building seen above (satellite photos below will more clearly reveal the evolution of the building). Albertsons did do several of Acme's smallest stores some serious justice in the early 2000's. Unfortunately, they pulled the plug on so many others.
Not the most inviting store from the street. The roadway along the brick wall leads back to the entrance and parking lot. It's a little tricky giving an exterior tour of the store as the front is kinda the back and the side is sorta the front.
The view from Montgomery Ave. Very limited signage to be seen. The lighter section extending along the wall may have be been windows along the street side. These small town stores tended to have a good amount of windows back in the day.
The entrance is at the end of the driveway. This section is part of the addition from the early 2000's. The Acme sign over which would have been just above the arch has been removed as the facade receives upgrades...
Around the corner to the back wall and parking lot.
Loading docks tucked away but still quite exposed to the parking lot. This section appears to be the original Acme that opened in 1951.
Image from the web
I missed the money shot! Never got a picture of the entrance so I grabbed this one off of the web. It seems to serve as the default image of Acme on web sites all over the internet. As mentioned above, the Acme sign seen here has been taken down. When comparing this picture to the ones above, you'll notice too that trim has been added along the facade . The windows above the entrance are now covered with images of oranges (if I remember correctly) taking the place of apples which are usually seen on Premium Fresh and Healthy stores. And in we go...
Check it out... the latest, and vastly improved version of the Premium Fresh and Healthy decor! We have seen some pictures of this decor on the blog but I had yet to experience it in person. And you know what? I love it! Simple, clean, and quite understated. A huge change from the store's former Industrial Circus decor. While I am a huge fan of that decor package, the simplicity of this decor works wonders in this small store.
One of the most interesting features I found when entering this store... a greeter at the door! You don't see that at those big fancy grocery stores. A very friendly employee was greeting each shopper as they entered and offering everyone a circular. Nice touch!
The alcove just through the entrance has the Produce, Deli and Bakery departments. The Deli is a self contained section rather than located along one of the perimeter walls. A floor plan is included down below to illustrate the unique layout here.
The pre-packaged deli foods section just around the corner from the service deli.
"Lancaster Brand" alive and well with "Butcher Block" to the rear of the store.
One last aisle of the old Industrial Circus tiling. It is being removed and replaced with a strip of tile that matches more closely to the existing tile.
Officially only 7 aisles but really more like 14 since since there is a center aisle that cuts through the halfway point similar to the set up of much larger Acmes.
The new self checkout stands here are top notch! The coolest I've ever seen. All stainless steal with everything arranged logically, all capped off with a rather futuristic look. I tried to snap a picture but they didn't turn out.
I created a very rough floor plan so you can see the general layout of the store. Hard to get a full handle on the layout from the images above. Note the small Kosher Deli next to Customer Service. Not sure what the 3 aisles in the lower right corner will be. They were not fully stocked as the remodel is not yet complete.
Back outside and heading up in the air from some aerial views of the property...
The section with the lighter colored roof is the addition of the early 2000's.
I was surprised the interior of the store was as large as it as after seeing the satellite views. Back room space here must be pretty limited. Perhaps there is a basement under the original portion of
the building.
2002
No addition at this point. The main parking area here would be sacrificed for the coming expansion.
1971
Is there an Acme tower sticking up from the street-side of the store? Looks like it. It can be seen more clearly in the images below...
1967
1958
The left side of the building appears to be the original section with right half being an addition. This would also explain why the tower is in the center of the store (if that is in fact a tower).
1950
Acme would be arriving about a year later.
Driving into Narbeth, I was pleasantly surprised to see a mint condition, former A&P! (Located in the upper lefthand corner of the image). The building is now a Staples but still screams A&P from every possible angle.
Looks to have started out as a barrel roof store which was expanded and converted to the "Centennial" model sometime between 1958 and 1967.
Can you believe what great shape this place is in? There are Centenital A&P's still out there that aren't in the kind of condition. Copula and weathervane still standing tall. And the fencing along the roof line... how has it survived all these years?
And now for the A&P's aerial evolution...
2002
1971
1967
1958
1950
1948
The Lower Merion Historical Society has several good photographs from before and after the 2002 renovation:
ReplyDeletehttp://lowermerionhistory.org/buildings/image-building-list.php?building_id=634
Looks like it was quite an overhaul!
-Greg
Sure does! I was wondering if they were able to keep it open during the addition. Clearly they weren't. Looks like the place was gutted. Thanks for the link Greg!
ReplyDeleteGreg, thanks for the link to pictures of the 2002 renovation. They're great! And also thanks for the article you wrote on the history of Asco/Acme in Wayne, with it's link to C. Herbert Fry's 1991 history of the company. When I left the Main Line in 1985, the Narberth Acme did in fact still have the tower. As suggested, the tower was on the left side of the original 1951 store. From the tower heading east there were windows facing Montgomery Avenue. The new decor package really looks great! I guess that they're getting ready for the demolition and reconstruction of the Bryn Mawr store, and hope that those customers will drive the short distance to Narberth to shop while Bryn Mawr is closed.
ReplyDeleteBill, I had a lot of fun putting together the history of the Wayne Acme. I've gotten a great response from the community, which is still reeling from the news of its closing. I hope the Bryn Mawr Acme will be featured here soon; a true relic, and one that won't be around much longer!
ReplyDelete-Greg
Bryn Mawr has been fully photographed and will be going up on the blog later this month.
ReplyDeleteFun fact: This store actually makes a cameo appearance in the movie ''The Sixth Sense''.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that was the Bryn Mawr store; of course it never really made sense since the characters lived in South Philly. I guess getting a permit to film at 10th & Reed was too expensive. :)
ReplyDeleteI think AcmeFan85 was replying to the Bryn Mawr comments. The store in the movie is clearly in Bryn Mawr, filmed from Pennswood Road.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. It's nice to see an Acme thriving... somewhere. I wasn't aware that Acme was remodeling some stores, so I guess that's better than nothing? I'm not sure how I feel about the new version of the Premium Fresh & Healthy decor, just as I wasn't sure about the last version. I like the expanded use of color on the walls (all beige is dreary and dull) but the hanging signs look cheap and will look even cheaper when the start to warp and bend over time (I could make a joke about Acme not surviving long enough for that to happen... but I won't... or did I just make the joke anyway?... whatever.)
ReplyDeleteVery much a fascinating store with a unique look and layout. I can't help but think more of these smaller, lower-overhead Acme locations would work better than the enormous super stores that the company seemed hooked on building for many years. Not everyone wants to walk ten minutes to the back end of a 70,000 square foot building for a gallon of milk.
The amount of business a 70,000 sqft store needs to do to be profitable is much greater than the business that a 30,000 sqft store needs to be profitable. There are a lot of areas that acme built stores in that might have been profitable for a small store, but not a large store. Maybe they should have built 40,000 sqft stores in locations that would allow for expansion to 70,000 sqft if the business justifies it.
ReplyDeleteThe problem really isnt with the store sizes its all about their prices. Giant and Shop-Rite can build 70,000 sqft stores and be profitable because they offer competitive prices and have high volume as a result
ReplyDeleteRight. Prices are an issue and some chains can make larger stores very profitable, but Acme seems to have had much more success with smaller stores. Let Shoprite and Giant build enormous stores on the outskirts of town that generate $1 million+ per week. Acme's Moris Plains location in the heart of a small town probably still does $300K/week and that's the model the company should emulate in other towns. That location surely would have failed if they build a larger store on the outskirts of town and abandoned a location that people found convenient, even if the prices are a little higher than the competition.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many great points here. However, I feel, it has gone past the point of no return. A few years ago, stores like shop rite, giant and hell even wegmans came storming into town with lower prices, and customers were leaving in droves. It is not as simple as just lowering prices and all is better. That is like having a leaking pipe in a nice part of your house, so you put a cut in the pipe so it leaks in another part of your house. For lowering prices to work, it would take a lot of money to invest, which they don't have. You lower prices, and have to market it, and there are a lot of expenses which go unseen to most with such an over haul. You have to stick to it, for customers to believe you. And gradually customers will return. The acme name is known for high prices and that perception is what is holding them back. While I do not think supervalu would accept the lower margins, I do not think they have a choice. If they stick to the current game, it is only a matter of time before they are gone. So, what do they have to lose? If supervalu were to allow them the time, money and resources, the lower prices will work, and maybe, in say 5 years, we will see acme building stores again.
ReplyDeleteForget that. Super Valu didn't want Acme in the first place. Only their warehouse. They're not going to allocate any resources to save Acme or to allow them to lower prices. Part of the reason Acme's prices are so high is that Super Valu now charges them for deliveries that they used to get for free. There will be no new ACMES built. Ever.
ReplyDeleteThe mother of my coworker worked at this location for her whole career, and she still receives an Acme pension. How about that?!?
ReplyDeleteIt has, without question, the smallest back room of any supermarket I have ever been in. Imagine a space the size of a fairly large living room and there it is. They have to utilize their spare trailers to the max
ReplyDelete