Photos courtesy of Gary A.
Location: 2176 Baltimore Pike, Oxford, PA
Location: 2176 Baltimore Pike, Oxford, PA
For the last store post of 2012, we'll be taking a look at the Oxford store. Somewhat of a classic at this point. Opening date here unknown. Could have been anytime in the 70's, or even the early 80's. This store was a replacement to a former 50's store which stood on the same property. The original building is long gone now but surprisingly it's footprint and parking lot remain intact.
I have been yearning to get to this store for years now. It did nt make the list the one time I was out this way to see Parkesburg and Kennett Square. Making the long trip out there for just one store is something I haven't been able to pull off. It was a very pleasant surprise when Gary sent these pictures in. Gary has also provided us photo coverage of the former Harve De Grace store.
I have been yearning to get to this store for years now. It did nt make the list the one time I was out this way to see Parkesburg and Kennett Square. Making the long trip out there for just one store is something I haven't been able to pull off. It was a very pleasant surprise when Gary sent these pictures in. Gary has also provided us photo coverage of the former Harve De Grace store.
While the exterior here did receive a significant upgrade, similar to the one at the former Bordentown store, the interior hasn't been so lucky. The last full-scale remodel occurred during the late 80's with a somewhat partial Albertson's Marketplace remodel done sometime in the early 2000's.
If you look closely, you'll see shiny sections on the cement by the doors. I'm thinking the magic carpets may have been in these spots. Removed when the motion sensor sliding doors were put in.
Odd framing of the sign here. May have been done during a repaint to avoid having to paint around or remove the mounted letters.
Everything is looking relatively new in this shot. Updated floor and deluxe department signage not often seeing in smaller stores. A similar model in Stevenson MD just had plain letters mounted to the walls for each department.
Cases here in the back look to be leftover from the 80's remodel. Now painted black to fit in with the decor. The category signs hanging from the ceiling where brought in right after Albertsons took over Acme. They've now been replaced in most stores with the Premium Fresh and Healthy signs. Updated flooring in this section.
Ah-ha... the 80's checkerboard floor! It remains throughout the store except in the first aisle. Looks like an odd mix of the two styles here although the 80's flooring is in pretty good shape throughout the rest of the store.
Frozen cases appear to have been updated since the 80's remodel but long before the Albertson's Marketplace decor was put in. Interesting to see the more deluxe Albertson's Marketplace decor items here mixed in with leftovers from previous remodels.
The Bakery has see some nice upgrades of it's cases. A decent selection here considering the size of the store.
This shot takes me back. Before the 80's remodels, the greeting cards were located by the in-store Bakery in many stores. They got bumped out into an aisle for the remodel allowing for expanded Bakery selections.
This store has an early "33M" format. Later models would introduce the curved drop ceilings like the ones seen here and here at the former Jersey City store. Another good look of these drop ceilings can be seen a the now former Stevenson store.
The reestablished Customer Service Department which was decimated during the 80's remodel.
Word is that business at Oxford isn't what it used to be mainly due to Walmart opening. The map below shows some of the competition for the Acme...
Acme does have the advantage of being on the other side of town. Redner's may be taking a bigger hit with the new Walmart just across the street.
The building seems ripe for an expansion out of the left side.
And now for a look at the former Acme's location...
I had no idea that a 50's Acme stood on this site until just a few months ago when I was researching this store. Kept looking at this image thinking how strange it was to have a beat up old parking lot to the right of the driveway. After staring at it for a while I realized and old Acme used to be there! This will be confirmed down below in the historic aerial images.
Gary got some shots of the area where the old Acme stood. This would have been the back area of the old store.
The former parking lot out front.
The Ghost of Acme past!
2008
1969
There she is! I have an opening date of 1956 for this store but the image from 1958 still shows a field.
1969
Same year just zoomed in a little closer. Looks like produce is getting a delivery in the front.
1968
Quiet day in 1968.
1958
And nothing in 1958.
A departing photo from JoshAustin610's flickr collection. Did he know he was in the old Acme's parking lot? Thanks to Gary for bringing the Oxford store to Acme Style!
This store has always intrigued me, probably because it looks the same as the Morris Plains store where I worked for many years, and was even given the same exterior "upgrades" like the repainted Super Saver awning and the two fake roof peaks above the canopy on both sides. I assumed the store received a complete interior upgrade with the Industrial Circus decor package but that doesn't appear to be the case. It's difficult to tell from the photos- is there a grand aisle? Or is the first aisle just a very wife produce aisle, with all the other departments having been left in place (deli/seafood in the back corner, bakery in the front, etc.)?
ReplyDeleteI could be way off, but I think I remember having read somewhere that the old Acme was left standing years after the new one was constructed. I want to say it became something else, but I also have vague memories of having been informed it was storage for the new store?
Good point... it's not a true Grand Aisle with all the service department. I used that reference since the aisle looks huge and does expose most of the Deli in the back.
ReplyDeleteThe old store was there until sometime in the late 1980s or early 1990's. The pheonixville location was the same way with the old store down the end of the parking lot opposite the new store. Not sure when they tore that one down. Maybe late 1990s
ReplyDeleteHGi Phonexville had the old store in its lot too. Both stores were the same as the Swanwick unit. Thet were used to store Equiptment from closed stores an d supplies for the maitenance department of the company. They were condemed by both towns saome time in the late 80!s. The Redners isw doing just great and is selling a lot of Meat and Produce. No one buys The garbage perishables that Walmart offers.
ReplyDelete