Photos courtesy of Ben from Delaware
Location: 1169 Shopping Center Road, Stevensville MD
This store has been on my wish list for a quite a while now. I had entertained the thought of driving down to check it out mainly to see one of the most Ultra-Deluxe Checkerboard Arch decor packages to have ever existed. Good thing I didn't make the trip as Ben's pictures unfortunately confirm that it has been removed. The store currently has a bare-bones version of the Albertsons Marketplace package.
The Stevensville Acme is a classic late 70's early 80's "33M" store. I do not have an opening date for this store. The layout is nearly identical the Jersey City store which has a slight variation of the standard floor plan. Produce in both stores is/was located in an alcove just inside the entrance rather than lining the entire right wall. Dairy is located along aisle 1 rather than it's usual location along the building's left wall. The exterior remains virtaully unchanged aside from the updated sign and green paint job that was done in the 90's.
I'm glad to report that Ben kept a safe distance from this busted light stand with it's exposed, soaking wet wires. Besides being quite an eyesore... this cannot be a very safe situation, even if there is no power going to it.
80's checkerboard floor remains as does many of the 80's cases. The Bakery appears to have received significant upgrades which is unusual in older stores like this. It's more often the case that the bakeries are phased out and their floor space is used to sale and seasonal items.
Aisle 1 with Dairy to the right. Looks as though full-service Seafood is still in operation here.
They may have skipped re-tiling the aisles during the 80's remodel. The tiles seen here look to be in worse shape than those around the perimeter.
80's cases still going strong!
The lighting along the walls is left over from the Checkerboard Arch decor. Blue light boxes used to hang over the frozen food aisle.
The Bakery looks to be the only department to receive significant upgrades since the 80's remodel.
Google Maps views from afar.
The store is technically located on Blue Star Memorial Highway.
No room for expansion here. This may have been a replacement store for a former Acme that once existed in this shopping center.
Kent Island is pictured above. The Acme is located just under "Stevensville".
The Albertsons Marketplace decor doesn't look all that bad installed in a 33M. That is, if you keep your head up and avoid looking at the floor. It never ceases to amaze me how Acme seemed to avoid replacing floor tiles, as if doing that was as difficult as launching humans into space. Would it have been that difficult to replace them, or even put new ones over the old ones? That remodel would have lookd a lot better had the floor tiles been replaced with, well... anything. The checkerboard design worked with two decor packages, neither of them having been put into stores in the last two decades.
ReplyDeleteI also visited Stevensville for the first time on Dec 28th. It's not easy to get from the busy highway into the parking lot. But the store actually looked better than I expected, so I guess the Marketplace decor is fairly new! Merchandising was fairly good, but still too much clutter for my taste. I believe that this store was a 1970's replacement for a tiny store on the same site that had opened in 1953. The Baltimore Zone opened a lot of tiny stores during the 1950's. For 20 years they were very profitable, but eventually they all became obsolete, which explains the demise of the Baltimore Division.
ReplyDeleteI've been to this store many times since I live in Baltimore. (Since Fallston closed, it's the closest one to Baltimore.) As a long time Acme buff, I'm glad it's there. I don't know how it stays in business with the new Safeway and Food Lion. But my best advice, stay away from the meats. And the restroom. LOTS of mouse droppings everywhere.
ReplyDeleteMouse droppings? Could you maybe take pictures or video of them and send it to the Maryland Department of Health? Or why not Supervalu?
ReplyDeleteall the equipment at the Centreville store came from the closed remodeled Millsboro location.As for the Decor ,at the time it was a very rural area and they went for a Crate look.
ReplyDeleteThe stephensville store was renovated and given a new Deli and Seafood dpartments around 2005. Prior to that the original departments from 1960
ReplyDeletewere in place. Yes all the equiptment shelving in the centreville store
came from the Millsboro store that closed after six months after grand opening and was the main reason that the store built on the cheap was profitable the first year of operation.
Mouse droppings??? I've never seen any in the store and I visit there several times a month. The meat room is also very neat and clean.
ReplyDeleteSorry, when I was there about 2 months ago, there were plenty of mouse droppings. I live in an old part of Baltimore city and I know mouse droppings. I used the store's bathroom and was astounded. So I kept my eyes open and saw plenty of turds around the back of the store. As far as the meat goes, I assume that it's trucked in. Every time I've purchased beef or chicken there in the past few years, it is way past its prime, regardless of the date. Sorry, that's what has happened. I don't want the store to close. I do like it but I choose what to buy there (Ivins Spiced Wafers) and what not (meat).
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to some pictures of the Stevensville store with the ultra deluxe checkerboard arch interior still inside:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.viableretail.com/~acme/index2.htm
There's no direct link to the page, so it takes a few steps to get to them. First, scroll down the menu on the left to store #7861. A picture of the front of the store will appear when you click on it, and then click on store images on the top of the page. Click on the Interior link under Preliminary Images, and there it is! Enjoy!
This store closed on Nov. 1, 2012 and is currently vacant
ReplyDeleteMouse droppings??? I used the restroom and walked that store many times and NEVER spotted any mouse droppings. Mice don't just dump in the open areas. Even outside all stores are required to have rodent traps. Mice droppings, that's a funny one.
ReplyDelete