Sorry to take the focus off the star of this blog, but I have a few curiosities that the small community which frequents this site probably shares. Could someone please describe to me what the store interiors for the following supermarket chains (all of which competed with Acme) looked like during the following periods?
Sorry. I'm joining the conversation a little too late. Anyway, I have some descriptions of the supermarket interiors you wanted, Geno!
From 1988 to 2000, Albertsons used an interior known online as the "Blue and Gray Market". From the pictures I've seen of it, I remember gray walls with department signs that have a grid behind them. A blue font was used for the department names, and red/white diamonds bookended the signs on either side.
For Safeway (Marketplace), I only (vaguely) remember one interior that they used. That interior had department signs which looked like a rectangle, but with the top part curved. The department names were set in white cursive letters with the first letter capitalized.
That's pretty much it for the interiors I can describe to you.
Are you planning to do the Shop Rite at Fairless Hills, PA. Its a good store to do, Here's why: It was originally an A&P built in the 70s, and in the 90s, it was demolished and rebuilt as a Super Fresh with the 90s Centennial/90s Colonial front. It became a Shop Rite somewhere in 1999.
Right now I have about 30 Acme/Former Acme's fully photographed waiting to go up on the blog. Not sure when I am going to be able to squeeze in a Bonus Store.
Hey Geno... Pathmark decor was always kinda basic, at least in the 20th century. You can get an idea of 80's Pathmark decor at the closed Egg Harbor store here: http://catcountry1073.com/final-days-of-pathmark-in-eht/ I remember a lot of brown and orange stripes against stark white walls with very basic Arial-type font plastic letters showing the department name. The letters looked like they came from Rickels; very no-frills. In the early 90's, they started to brand the departments more, calling the bakery the "Bakers Oven", for instance--and the decor was upgraded with some graphic elements against a beige/neutral background with a red and beige checkerboard border all around the perimeter of the box. This was rolled out in only a few stores before the chain-wide "Pathmark 2000" upgrades came along in the mid 1990's which standardized the decor in most of the stores with soft purple, yellow and pink pastels--and huge graphics of mostly Pathmark-branded products. Many stores still have this decor, poorly hidden behind those stupid "SAVE!" signs from the failed Pathmark SAV-A-CENTER experiment. I know Montclair, Clifton and Hackensack, NJ still have this decor if ya wanna check it out.
I went to the Old Giant aka Giant #63 in Levittown, PA and by the looks of it, Dollar Tree will be the first to open, It had a DOLLAR TREE COMING SOON sign,
I stopped in the Phoenixville Giant last night and I noticed that they were replacing the lights. By the looks of it, they are replacing all of the fluorescent sales floor lights and the Metal Halide hood lights around the perimeter on three sides with LEDs. It looks like they will keep the hood lights over produce. It does not appear that the store will be getting a remodel anytime soon, however. Is this going on at any other Giants? If so, please tell me!
Can someone please explain to me again why Acme (along with Albertsons) decided to rename all their pharmacies Sav-on? It seems like an awfully stupid move for Acme, because Sav-on was a West Coast chain never known in Philly or for a thousand miles in any direction from there. And CVS bought the Sav-on chain anyway less than a year after the renaming, eliminating Sav-on as a name in its own right.
The Acme on City Avenue in West Philly looks absolutely awful with the Sav-on signage. Acme already had to have a very small sign on the front of this store due to zoning laws, and with the Sav-on name added, both names are almost impossible to clearly read. But in my opinion the Sav-on name anywhere harms the value of the Acme name, and having it on all the store signage at Acme stores with pharmacies makes the store signs look very cluttered and awkward.
Today is a sad day for KMart fans, The Langhorne, PA location will be closing forever tomorrow, Today was its last day. Also closing in Langhorne, PA is The Dump, a weekend discount furniture store. The Dump used to be a Two Guys which in turn got the Jefferson Ward treatment, then It was sold to Bradlees, which in turn closed in late 90s/early 00s. The Dump opened in the location in 2004, and is closing this year. An employee of the Langhorne, PA Kmart told me that the Bensalem, PA kmart is doing slow but good business, and another one working in Langhorne, PA said the Bensalem Kmart will closed by the end of this year.
The Bensalem KMart opened in the 1960s(?) as a J.M. Fields which was Paired with a Pantry Pride or Food Fair. When Food Fair and JM Fields went under in the 1980s. JM Fields became a Kmart soon after JM fields closed. Food Fair was subdivided into A.C. Moore (which relocated to a Former Super Fresh down the street, the former A.C. moore location became Sav-A-Lot which closed in 2010s for unknown reasons, Dollar tree was in the former F.F. spot until it relocated 3 or more years ago into a former Drug Emporium location near the Bensalem, PA Giant. And Old Country Buffet which closed 2011 and became Tokyo Supreme Hibachi and Buffet.
Sorry to take the focus off the star of this blog, but I have a few curiosities that the small community which frequents this site probably shares. Could someone please describe to me what the store interiors for the following supermarket chains (all of which competed with Acme) looked like during the following periods?
ReplyDeleteGiant (Martin's): 1985-2000
Genuardi's: 1985-1995
Pathmark: 1968-1977
Pathmark: 1977-1997
Giant (Landover): 1963-1993
Super G (Giant Landover): 1994-1997
Albertsons: 1988-2000
Albertsons: 2000-2002
Edwards: 1995-2000
Pak N Save (Safeway): 1995-2000
Festival Foods/Jubilee Foods: 1990-2000
Safeway Marketplace: 1990-2005
Sorry. I'm joining the conversation a little too late. Anyway, I have some descriptions of the supermarket interiors you wanted, Geno!
DeleteFrom 1988 to 2000, Albertsons used an interior known online as the "Blue and Gray Market". From the pictures I've seen of it, I remember gray walls with department signs that have a grid behind them. A blue font was used for the department names, and red/white diamonds bookended the signs on either side.
For Safeway (Marketplace), I only (vaguely) remember one interior that they used. That interior had department signs which looked like a rectangle, but with the top part curved. The department names were set in white cursive letters with the first letter capitalized.
That's pretty much it for the interiors I can describe to you.
Are you planning to do the Shop Rite at Fairless Hills, PA.
ReplyDeleteIts a good store to do, Here's why: It was originally an A&P built in the 70s, and in the 90s, it was demolished and rebuilt as a Super Fresh with the 90s Centennial/90s Colonial front. It became a Shop Rite somewhere in 1999.
Right now I have about 30 Acme/Former Acme's fully photographed waiting to go up on the blog. Not sure when I am going to be able to squeeze in a Bonus Store.
DeleteAdd the Shop Rite in Fairless Hills as a Bonus Store of the Month, if not this month, next month will be fine.
DeleteJust wondering, because a post that was originally supposed to go up Tuesday hasn't gone up yet, will there be a Friday double-post tomorrow (May 2)?
ReplyDeleteNope, unfortunately no store posts have been completed for this week. Regular posting is expected to resume next Tuesday.
DeleteHey Geno...
ReplyDeletePathmark decor was always kinda basic, at least in the 20th century.
You can get an idea of 80's Pathmark decor at the closed Egg Harbor store here:
http://catcountry1073.com/final-days-of-pathmark-in-eht/
I remember a lot of brown and orange stripes against stark white walls with very basic Arial-type font plastic letters showing the department name. The letters looked like they came from Rickels; very no-frills.
In the early 90's, they started to brand the departments more, calling the bakery the "Bakers Oven", for instance--and the decor was upgraded with some graphic elements against a beige/neutral background with a red and beige checkerboard border all around the perimeter of the box. This was rolled out in only a few stores before the chain-wide "Pathmark 2000" upgrades came along in the mid 1990's which standardized the decor in most of the stores with soft purple, yellow and pink pastels--and huge graphics of mostly Pathmark-branded products. Many stores still have this decor, poorly hidden behind those stupid "SAVE!" signs from the failed Pathmark SAV-A-CENTER experiment.
I know Montclair, Clifton and Hackensack, NJ still have this decor if ya wanna check it out.
I went to the Old Giant aka Giant #63 in Levittown, PA and by the looks of it, Dollar Tree will be the first to open, It had a DOLLAR TREE COMING SOON sign,
ReplyDeleteI stopped in the Phoenixville Giant last night and I noticed that they were replacing the lights. By the looks of it, they are replacing all of the fluorescent sales floor lights and the Metal Halide hood lights around the perimeter on three sides with LEDs. It looks like they will keep the hood lights over produce. It does not appear that the store will be getting a remodel anytime soon, however. Is this going on at any other Giants? If so, please tell me!
ReplyDeleteCan someone please explain to me again why Acme (along with Albertsons) decided to rename all their pharmacies Sav-on? It seems like an awfully stupid move for Acme, because Sav-on was a West Coast chain never known in Philly or for a thousand miles in any direction from there. And CVS bought the Sav-on chain anyway less than a year after the renaming, eliminating Sav-on as a name in its own right.
ReplyDeleteThe Acme on City Avenue in West Philly looks absolutely awful with the Sav-on signage. Acme already had to have a very small sign on the front of this store due to zoning laws, and with the Sav-on name added, both names are almost impossible to clearly read. But in my opinion the Sav-on name anywhere harms the value of the Acme name, and having it on all the store signage at Acme stores with pharmacies makes the store signs look very cluttered and awkward.
Today is a sad day for KMart fans, The Langhorne, PA location will be closing forever tomorrow, Today was its last day. Also closing in Langhorne, PA is The Dump, a weekend discount furniture store. The Dump used to be a Two Guys which in turn got the Jefferson Ward treatment, then It was sold to Bradlees, which in turn closed in late 90s/early 00s. The Dump opened in the location in 2004, and is closing this year. An employee of the Langhorne, PA Kmart told me that the Bensalem, PA kmart is doing slow but good business, and another one working in Langhorne, PA said the Bensalem Kmart will closed by the end of this year.
ReplyDeleteThe Bensalem KMart opened in the 1960s(?) as a J.M. Fields which was Paired with a Pantry Pride or Food Fair. When Food Fair and JM Fields went under in the 1980s. JM Fields became a Kmart soon after JM fields closed. Food Fair was subdivided into A.C. Moore (which relocated to a Former Super Fresh down the street, the former A.C. moore location became Sav-A-Lot which closed in 2010s for unknown reasons, Dollar tree was in the former F.F. spot until it relocated 3 or more years ago into a former Drug Emporium location near the Bensalem, PA Giant. And Old Country Buffet which closed 2011 and became Tokyo Supreme Hibachi and Buffet.