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!
The pitched-roof store was Acme's last remaining store in the PA Coal Region when it was closed.
ReplyDeleteSorry to go off-topic, but what happened to the post for the St. Michaels, MD store?
DeleteIt's back. I was copying photos out of it a few days ago and accidentally put back in "draft" mode. Thanks for pointing that out!
DeleteOh, OK. You're welcome!
DeleteI loved the Palmerton Acme! I used to make the trip to it after Acme sold the 45 stores in NEPA to Penn Traffic. It was like a flashback to the store on W. Main St. in Nanticoke. I believe it had the colonial 70s décor until the end.
ReplyDeleteYou cab actually see a drop ceiling in the Country Harvest store before the remodel in the pitched roof store if you look through the front windows. Pretty interesting.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.countryharvestmarkets.com/Default.aspx
ReplyDeleteis there website
I was at this store last week. In the back there is an old ACME trailer that has the red oval logo overtop of the fish eye. I scared the dickens out of the person next to me in the car when I said OH MY GOD ITS A...
ReplyDeleteI am the owner of the existing Country Harvest.....and yes that is the same ORIGINAL ACME trailer at the rear of the building. ACME used the trailer for storage and we continue to do so to this date. Many upgrades to the store since we purchased it in 1998. The following lists the upgrades undertaken in chronological order over the past 16 years: Meat Cases, Chest Freezers replaced with Doors, replaced all store shelving, Expanded Deli Department, Air Conditioning Replacement, Drop Ceiling and Lighting, Dairy Cases Expanded, Front facade and addition changing entire exterior look of store, new & expanded Produce Department/Cases, replaced and expanded checkouts from 5 to 8 with new POS, new fully secured cash office(ACME had the elevated Open air cash office), new interior vinyl wood-look flooring, hi res. cctv surveillance system, drop ceiling/insulation in meat cutting room, exterior 35' flag pole & landscaping areas, new sidewalks and tree plantings, converted old trash room to donut preparation room for instore donut production, and last but not least a Caribou Coffee Espresso/Coffee Bar. By the way, I still have the interior sign panels from the large ACME trademark sign(kind of art deco-ish with what looks like the letters A, C, M, E in four of the panels) I just couldn't throw them away!
ReplyDelete