Classic Acme! St. Michaels, Maryland

Photos courtesy of George from Ashburn

Location: 114 Talbot Street, St. Michaels MD

The St. Michaels Acme has finally arrived! I've been hoping to get this store up on the blog since day one. Never got to it myself but thanks to George for doing an excellent job photographing it for us. One of Acme's oldest and smallest locations still in operation today. It may, in fact, be the smallest Acme out there. It's closest competitors for the title include Maple Shade and Sea Isle City. Maple Shade is tough to judge as it does have 11 aisles but they run from side to side rather than the traditional front to back layout. Sea Isle City has 9 aisles along with a Produce alcove that is in an expanded part of the store. I do not have access to official square footage to declare a winner. 

This location opened as an Acme in July of 1959 after previously being an Asco Service Store. The building was doubled in size before being rebranded as an Acme. Thanks, as always, to Bill Haines for these historic details!

St. Michaels is the only store in the entire chain to sport the original cursive sign across the font of the store. (Haddonfield and Wildwood both have cursive logos but they were added in recent years to give the stores a retro feel.) While I can't say for certainty, I am quite sure that this is not the original sign. These signs had deteriorated badly at other Acme locations by the 70's and 80's. This particular one may have been replaced at some point. It isn't looking 52 years old here.   

Acme sits right in the heart of St. Michaels whose population is around 2,000 people. The town sits right on a bay and is home to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum which is a huge tourist draw. 

In we go...

Looks to be only 3 full-service registers here. Possibly an express register at Customer Service. Not entirely sure where that's located. Possibly down at the other end of the registers. 

A very nice application of the Neighborhood Market decor, especially with the exposed brick at the front of the store. 

Check this out... the spot lights along the Produce aisle are on! I've never seen these working in any Acme... or former Acme... I've been in. We saw these lights in the last post of the former Acme in Brick which you can see here. Produce would have origianally extended all the way down aisle 1. It's since been condensed towards the front of the store with multi-teared cases to make way for addictional frozen food cases. Interesting since the Frozen Food department is located at the other side of the store. 

Retro script logo looking great along the rear wall of the store. . 

The "Delicious Deli" is the only department in the Neighborhood Market decor package to get the department name spelled out on the wall. Here with "St. Michael's Best" added below. You can compare the treatment here with the one at the former Jersey City store and Clayton.  

Plain floor tiles throughout. It would be interesting to know the various decor packages that have been here or lack there of. I would guess this store had the 70's Colonial Decor package right up until the Neighborhood Market decor was put in.  

Both Dairy and Produce have framed illustrations with the department. Boating and Bay related items help to decorate the store as well. 

St. Michaels tops out at 7 aisles!

While we don't see it in any of the pictures, a good amount of shelf space here is dedicated to beer and liquor which is undoubtedly good for business! Is Customer Service behind the "Cold Drinks"? Looks like there's something there between the cases and the vestibule. 

Another look at the back wall treatment and then we head back outside...

Seriously faded sign. The red paint is comlpletely gone. While the sign is faded, I doubt that it is the original. Interesting to see all the different versions of the script logo. It's style was never set in stone even back in the 50's when it was the official logo. 

Traffic can move around the entire store. One way here to the back which includes a small parking lot. 

An old trailer in the back servers as extra storage which is common at these smaller locations. 

Heading back out to Talbot Street...

Red paint still intact on this side of the sign. 

One of the only satellite views of the store on Google Maps. Bing does not have this area available for closeups. There are no historical aerial images available either so we won't be able to travel back in time for this store. 

Still close to the shore! Just not the Jersey shore here. St. Mihaels sits along Miles River which is actually a bay. Graui's Market is another grocery store in town located on Talbot Road as well, one mile and a half miles south of the Acme. The two stores appear to be about the same size. You can visit their website by clicking here. They have six locations in Maryland. 

Near the top of this map, you'll see the towns of Stevensville and Centreville. Both homes to Acme Markets. You can visit each store here on the blog by clicking here and here. 

A screen grab from Google street view for a feel of Talbot Street.

One final look at one of the oldest and smallest Acmes still open for business today. Thanks to George for providing such great pictures of this extraordinary Acme Market. 

Updates 10.15.11: 

• The over head was originaly Yellow tile and had Blue Colored Script,in cursive that was illuminated by and overhead lamps. The new sign was added afterwards. 

• The store was saved because and Acme Vice President at5 the time lived in St Mikes. The store was renovated with the summer tourist in mind and even had a small coffee bar with stools for a while. The summers as well as the B eer sales keep this store alive. In the winter the staff shrinks with the Grocery Manager runing groceries , frozen and dairy himself and the Stoe Manager recieving. The Meat Manager relieving the Deli Manager on her day off. 

• The Acme in Easton as High volume store is down the road noirth of this store.