Location: 330 N. Albany Ave, Atlantic City NJ
Since we visited the Acme of Brigatine this past Friday, I figured we could take a quick look at the former Acmes of Atlantic City which is just south of Brigatine. Literally a stone's throw away. In fact, I was beginning to doubt my GPS when it looked like I was headed straight into the heart of Atlantic City. (It gets me lost more often the gets me where I am trying to go!) Turns out you get off on the very last exit before entering the downtown area and head North to Brigatine. I didn't stop by either of the the Atlantic City locations due to the buildings being completely unrecognizable as Acmes so this post will be relying solely on satellite imagery. Our first former store is on Albany Avenue just across the street from the Atlantic City Airport runway. The building is currently the Kerbeck car dealership. The Acme opened here in June 1956. Closing date unknown.
The historic aerials image appear to show the dealership having taken over the building by 1995 with the Acme still in business in 1970 and, of course, in 1957...
1995
1970
1957
We'll head North (right) to the next location...
Location: 544 Atlantic Ave, Atlantic City NJ
This Acme opened in January 1955, a year and a half earlier than the Albany Ave store. This building is even more unrecognizable as an Acme than the car dealership. These types of locations are not ones that I make a priority to show on the blog. There just isn't much to see. I also prefer to stick to the stores that fall into the true "supermarket" format which emerged in the 50's which you can see if you dial back all the way to the very first post on Acme Style.
Now let's head back through time for a very interesting look at this area. As we've come to see in most of our historic aerial adventures, the areas surrounding an Acme location become more populated and built up over time which is to be expected. For this area, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I was reviewing this location over the years... the exact opposite happens here...
2006
I'm using the fish-eye logo to point out the locations of these stores but have no idea if either one sported this signage or not. There's a good chance the Albany Ave location did get the fish-eye in the 70's; lesser of a chance that this location did. Regardless, the fish-eye logo just looks really good on these aerial images and just so happens to be the greatest grocery store logo of all time.
1995
1970
1963
1957
There was a third Acme in Atlantic City at 2320 Atlantic Avenue, an original Acme that opened in July 1939, and survived until September 1968! Both Atlantic Avenue Acme's were metal front stores in the 1960's. Albany Avenue was a classic 1956 store with the Acme Markets signature across the front.
ReplyDeleteIn 1978, when the Pantry Pride in nearby Ventnor was being auctioned off, Acme really wanted the store, but was outbid by Starns ShopRite, which is still there today.
Actually the Ventor Shoprite is now a Pathmark believe it or not.
ReplyDeleteI was just about to ask where the ShopRite in Ventor is located! Couldn't find a listing online for it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bill for the info on the third former Acme in Atlantic City! I see from the aerial shots that the building no longer exists. Just a parking lot these days.
Just a minor note - the second location says Atlantic Avenue ASBURY PARK - I assume you meant Atlantic City?
ReplyDeleteThanks BillyGr! It's fixed. I had Asbury Park on the mind while I was doing this post as both Jersey Shore towns had dramatic falls from glory. No matter how many times I proofread these posts, a couple of errors always seem to slip by.
ReplyDeleteBy 1980 or '81 the 544 Atlantic Avenue location had become the studios of WWAC-TV (Channel 53), which tried to operate as an independent TV station for the AC area but ran out of money in a year or two. Their signage was probably on the boarded-up building longer than that incarnation of the station was on the air.
ReplyDeleteBrigantine, not Brigatine.
ReplyDelete