Programming Note:

There will be no additional posts for the month of April. The next store post will go up on Tuesday, May 5. I'm currently on a huge project at my day job which won't be leaving any time for me to work on the blog for the next week. Apologies for the break but the blog will be up and running again soon. Lots of great posts are already in progress for May!

TBT from Acme!

About 4 months ago, Acme posted a "Throw Back Thursday" photo on Instagram of the classic sign on the Manasquan store. Whoever posted it must have know the sign's days were finally numbered.

#TBT to our logo that is still prominently displayed at our Manasquan store. #oldiebutgoodie #throwback

A photo posted by Acme Markets (@acmemarkets) on Dec 11, 2014 at 8:54am PST

While I hated to see the classic sign go, they did a really great job with the update...



For extensive full of the "World's Most Classic Acme", please click here. A tour of the remodeled interior coming this summer!

St. Michaels Classic Signage Gets Refreshed!

Photos courtesy of Will aka B-More Retail on flickr

Below is the signage prior to the recent refresh...

These photos date back to 2011. If you compare the old parking lot sign to the new one, you will see some differences in the letters.
It is not an exact reproduction. 

For full coverage of the St. Michaels store, please click here.  

Milltown Update!

Location: 300 Ryders Lane, Milltown NJ

Despite previous reports on the blog, the Milltown Acme is NOT getting remodeled. Improvements are underway and signage in desperate need of updating is getting tended to. The changes are happening at a snail's pace so it's not easy to see the overall plan at the moment.


New lighting in Produce. Huge improvement especially in the back corner which used to be pretty dark. As mentioned previously, the layout of the Produce Department has been simplified.


"Snack Center" and "Beverage Boulevard" signage has been removed. Those signs were used in lieu aisle markers so currently there is no indication to the aisle's contents.


"Reading Center" is finally gone! Magazines and books were moved from this location years ago. Can't image what the delay has been for such a simple fix.


Soda bottles and chips bowl props have been removed...


My thought is Acme removed the signs and props from this area to reduce the focus on junk foods. especially for shoppers entering at the Produce side. The rotating "Meal Center" sign just inside the entrance was also removed but all other hanging signs remain.


I'm assuming new aisle markers will be going up throughout the store but who knows. I think full remodels move along faster than the minor changes that are happening in Milltown.


The former café seating area now home to construction equipment.


Video signage has been removed and he former home of the TV monitors has been covered over. Café seating has been moved into this area and there is also a mega-coffee-dispensing-contraption set up in there. I'll get some better pictures when the area is complete. Self checkouts remain untouched. I would think at this point they might be staying but time will tell. More Milltown updates to come.

For previous coverage of Milltown, please click here.

Fomer Acme – Palmerton, Pennsylvania

Classic photos courtesy of Albertsons Florida Blog

Opened in July 1963, most likely on the 7th which was the day after the nearby 40's Acme closed. We'll have a look at the location down below. As noted below the photo, this former Acme is now Country Harvest.


These photos are from a book of the history of Palmerton Albertsons Florida Blog found at a thrift store. So nice of them to take a picture of the Acme! The black trim really gives this place a different sort of look than what we're used to seeing. From what I can see in the aerial views, this was and remains the only major supermarket in town.

Photo courtesy of joshaustin610's flickr collection 

Josh reports the Acme closed in 1999. A very good run for small-town pitched-roof store. Country Harvest took over shortly after and has apparently had it a successful run of its own. The store underwent a very nice exterior renovation in 2010...


The front of the store was extended out to the sidewalk. You'll be able to see this more clearly in the historic aerial images. The new addition completely disguises the pitched-roof.


With the interior lights down as low as they are, they probably added a drop ceiling during the renovation. Hard to know for sure from this view. It would be fascinating to see the changes they made inside. They certainly didn't short change the exterior so I imagine the interior was nicely renovated as well.

AERIAL VIEWS 

You can see here that the front of the former Acme doesn't quite reach the sidewalk.


The current satellite view of the rear of the store shows the addition to the front complete.

HISTORIC AERIALS

2010

The addition under construction in 2010.

2008

2005

1999

Might still be the Acme at this point.

1992

Definetly the Acme here.

1970

1952

The original store just a block west on Delaware Avenue.


This location opened November 12, 1947 and closed July 6, 1963


Windows running along both sides...



Google street views of the building as it is today...


Currently the Penn Northeast Conference of the United Church of Christ.






The greatest supermarket sign in the history of the world!

ASCO Ideal Almond Extract!

Photo courtesy of Will aka B-More Retail on flickr

Acme – Chester Springs, Pennsylvania

Location: 400 Simpson Dr, Chester Springs, PA

The Chester Springs store opened in 2003. It is located in a lightly populated area with no other supermarkets in the immediate vicinity. A Giant, abandoned Genunardi's and Redner's, which has recently opened in a former SuperFresh, are all located a few miles south in Lionville. Chester Springs was among a slew of new stores built in the early to mid 2000's under Albertsons' leadership. As we've seen in recent years, many of these stores have closed, most recently the one in Warminster. Not sure how Chester Springs does. It doesn't seem to be located in an area where it could ever become a terribly high volume store. It was doing brisk business on this particular day. 

The photos in this post were taken a little over a year ago during the same road trip when I visited other stores in the area including Exton, Downingtown and Westtown.





Heading inside the FOOD entrance...




Albertsons Marketplace interior with some layout differences compared to other early 2000's stores we've seen on the blog. The Bakery here is located along the right wall instead of out on the sales floor running along aisle 1.


The Starbucks is now Bucks County Coffee. It may have been removed at this point. Acme is yanking these coffee bars out of stores. There is a small seating area up in the left front corner. This was one of the best café set ups I've seen at an Acme. I'm surprised they haven't used this configuration more often.






The blue light boxes are not illuminated


I would think this store does some pretty decent business. It is stocked to the gills!






The Meat and Seafood signage is a bit stunted. No light boxes either. Below is the same department from the now shuttered Clifton store...


The sign in Clifton sprawled over the whole department.

Back to Chester Springs...




Judging from my visit, this is a very well maintained store.


Plain white tiles in the frozen food aisles.


Here's a look at Sicklerville's frozen food aisle with the typical tile pattern for this decor package.


A less commonly used frozen food tile as seen in the Randolph store.




Looks like the milk cases may have been replaced since the store was built.






Walking along the front end to cards, floral and seasonal...






Customer Service is on the Pharmacy side of the store. We'll now jump over to the other end of the front-end...


Lower ceiling over the checkouts...


Self checkouts still here although these pictures were taken over a year ago.






GIANT "Thank You" sign! Never seen anything like it.

AERIAL VIEWS

Drive thru Pharmacy!

HISTORIC IMAGES

2013

2008

2002