Acme – Devon, Pennsylvania

Location: 700 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, PA

Well my friends, if you're looking for some Acme spirit, look no further than the Devon Acme! This store recently received an outstanding remodel both inside and out. While it was far from a budget busting reinvention of the store, the results are nevertheless astounding. It is very clear that someone FINALLY gets it... Acme IS back!


We'll start with some improvements made to the front of the store... Sav-on is GONE! That's right folks. You won't find it anywhere here. Just a "Pharmacy" sign over the left side vestibule. Stylish black lamps now line the front of the store just above the newly apple filled windows. Awnings added over each vestibule's windows. (You can see them better in the very first picture of the post). Now compare the fresh new look with the old one just below...

BEFORE...

I thought this store was pretty dreadful looking the first time I was here back in 2010. What a difference some white paint makes!

AFTER...

All of the differences are relatively minor but they collectively make a huge impact. I know the apple filled windows are not everyone's favorite but the improvement over what was there previously cannot be denied. It's hard to see in the "BEFORE" photo but before the apples were added, the store had puke colored stucco in their place.


In we go… the incredible new logo greets us in the vestibule. The funky fonts used to welcome us will be found throughout the store. We're going to see that all of Acme's personality, which had been stripped away for years now, has come roaring back!


They really want to make sure you feel welcomed. The Acme logo is proudly displayed everywhere!


Ladies and Gentlemen… the Corner Deli is BACK! Hasn't been seen in decades except for the Sea Isle City store...


The original 70's signage continues to live on in this store. The sign was standard issue for Acme in the 70's and early 80's. "Corner" was killed off for the 80's Remodel.


The signage design is exceptional here. More artsy than generically manufactored. Most use what looks like weathered wood with colorful and fun lettering. What is so brilliant about the decor here is that it looks old. Acme isn't trying to be super modern and upscale. It's just trying to be ACME!


A look along the Corner Deli and Bakery wall. Below is a shot of this store with its previous decor package...


If you look closely, you can see that much of the decor has been left on the walls. The new decor is largely a repaint of the old but it is done so incredibly well you can hardly tell! The old brown stripe around the store has been painted orange and the department signs have simply been stripped and recovered…


The tile on the back walls of the service department remain from the previous remodel.


Close-up for the Deli arrow sign. These can be found throughout the store and are simply… awesome.




Can't get enough of the new logo!




There are a lot of promotional signs hanging around the store which obstruct some of our views of the new decor and signage.


Ahhhh yes… the Brush Script font. Remember this one from a previous decor package...


The Bakery sign for some of the Checkerboard Arch stores used the same font! (A little hard to see here in the Middlesex store) It's probably just a coincidence. This is a pretty popular font. SuperValu uses it in there Cub stores which you can see here.


Not entirely sure what those window things are hanging below the Bakery sign. I didn't notice them when I was in the store. They're over in the Corner Deli as well. Are they frosted glass panels? Not quite sure what their purpose is. Must just be added visual interest.


So this photo is a fail. Too bad because they sign looks great. It says "Devon's Freshest Produce Market".


Classic local photography on the walls! We've seen this in some previous decor packages.




Big push here with Lancaster Brand. The sign is in several spots along the back of the store.


I have to wonder if Acme reached back into its past for the color scheme used here. I would like to think they did but who knows. Below is a classic shot from the Somers Point store. The old meat department orange looks very similar to the new. We'll be seeing some green soon as we head over to Dairy.

Classic photo courtesy of Michael Lisicky

A little hard to ready "Meat Shop" on the arrow.




The tile around the perimeter has been switched out. Grocery aisles kept their tile from the previous remodel.


Huge Lancaster Brand sign!


Simple decal but hey, it looks great!


Quick jump up front…. custom Acme aisle markers make their return! We'll get a closer look down below.


The Wild Harvest sign did not get changed out for the new one.


I do think the store could do with a little less promotional signage.


Albertsons Marketplace frozen food tiles remain.


Close-up of the new aisle signs. Nice to see ACME up there! Albertsons is keeping their leaf to themselves this time around. Could not be happier about that!




Heading into the green section of the store...


No signage for the Dairy department which is a little odd...




Check out that wall around the bend!




Before there was Acme, there was "The House that Quality Built"! That name was used for the very first grocery store that founders Samuel Robinson and Robert Crawford opened in 1891. The Acme name wouldn't come into play until 1917.


Heading down to the Pharmacy...


More local flair! Love how they made the signs look aged.


Category markers are used sparingly throughout the store. They are not used in the grocery aisles which is a big change from the Premium Fresh & Healthy stores.


Sav-on can't even be found on the inside! I believe this is the most recently remodeled store which may indicate the future of the Sav-on brand. Next Friday we'll be touring the 10th and Reed store where Sav-on remains on the outside but is not used inside.


The color scheme here reminds me a little of what Kmart was going a few years back. They dredged up they're brown and orange color scheme from the past and gave it a new twist for the present. Unfortunately, they're ditching it from their stores now in factor of a lifeless red and white color scheme. I also find Acme's new approach to be a fascinating contrast to what Giant is doing. Their stores used to be chock full of personality and pizzaz but that's all getting removed for their latest decor package. As attractive as their remodeled stores are, they a very generic looking. Acme is thankfully going in the complete opposite direction.


This sign could have seriously been here since what… 1972? This is truly the store where everything old is new again!


Another great arrow sign!






Custom check out lights! Haven't seen these in an Acme since the early 2000's. Even then, they didn't have the Acme logo.


A thank you message instead of customer service signage.


The block-letter logo looking better than ever!


Sorry folks… we gotta get outta here. If you're in the area, don't miss your chance to see this store in person!

A quick look around back. The original Acme here was expanded to the right in 2002.

Aerial Views...

Beautiful Kmart store next door which we'll check out down below.


You can clearly see the addition that was adde to the left side.

Historic Images...

2008

2002

Acme had yet to expand in this image from 2002.

1971

Construction of the JM Fields and Pantry Pride stores. Acme would open here in 1979.

1967

Heading over the to Kmart...


Some pictures of this store were included in the original Wayne post from years back. Better phone camera this time around.




Bright and clean for a Kmart. I'm not a fan of their new, generic signage. Looking at this shot, it's hard to know what store we're in. Too bad the inside don't match the grander of the outside.







One final look at the vastly improved Devon Acme...



Next Friday, we will be visiting the 10th and Reed store which was also remodeled recently with similar theme although the decor is quite different. Not quite as much fun as Devon but it does have the Acme spirit! If anyone knows of other stores getting this remodel, please let me know. I will be referring to this new package as the "Quality Built Decor". It will be added to the decor directory when 10th and Reed goes up next week.

Wait!

There's more >>>> 

 Click "Older Post" to visit two former Acmes in the area!