Location: 3590 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA
Opened on June 25, 1958 as one of Acme's first pitched-roof models. The new design was introduced to give Acme architectural interest similar to that of Penn Fruit's barrel roof stores. The prototype used here didn't last long. I've only seen photographs of two which you can see below...
Photo Courtesy of the Pleasant Family Shopping Blog
The image above was taking from the "Check Acme Fast" ad which you can view by clicking here and appears to be the Newtown Square Acme.
An earlier model of the pitched-roof store is pictured in this plexiglas ad from 1957. Location unknown. The structure appears to be similar to Newtown Square but the sign is different. Interesting how Acme was toying with simple signage early on only to go in a completely different direction with the funky fish-eye logo sign.
Some additional exterior images from Google maps where you can tool around the parking lot!
The addition to the left side expanding out of the original pitched-rood building.
A small bank all the way on the right side.
Heading inside where we'll be seeing a very nice Premium Fresh & Healthy 3.0 remodel.
I have been wanting to get to this store for years now. It's been on the list for several road trips I've been on but always got cut for time. Would love to see it in person to get a clear sense of the various expansions that have been done. Fortunately, catnapped pictures do give us a look at the different sections of the store. From this vantage point, it looks like the pitched-roof store ended just along the right side of Produce.
This are of the store may have received new flooring for the latest remodel. The rest of the store did not.
No shortage of signage here!
The Bakery appears to be in an unusual spot to the rear of Produce.
Crossing into the former pitched-roof portion of the store.
Support beams from the original store running along the left side here. Acme has been resetting the converted stores to have coffee and cereal in the first aisle of grocery. Guess I'm a little old school but I like my salad dressing and condiments in aisle 1. That's the way Acme used to do it!
The flooring here is a hold over from the Chalkboard Market décor.
Are these milk price signs still used in Pennsylvania stores? The converted stores in New Jersey never got this signage.
Wine & Spirits looks to be along the front of the store
Shelf-checkouts still here when these photos were taken last May.
The image above was taking from the "Check Acme Fast" ad which you can view by clicking here and appears to be the Newtown Square Acme.
An earlier model of the pitched-roof store is pictured in this plexiglas ad from 1957. Location unknown. The structure appears to be similar to Newtown Square but the sign is different. Interesting how Acme was toying with simple signage early on only to go in a completely different direction with the funky fish-eye logo sign.
Some additional exterior images from Google maps where you can tool around the parking lot!
The addition to the left side expanding out of the original pitched-rood building.
A small bank all the way on the right side.
Heading inside where we'll be seeing a very nice Premium Fresh & Healthy 3.0 remodel.
I have been wanting to get to this store for years now. It's been on the list for several road trips I've been on but always got cut for time. Would love to see it in person to get a clear sense of the various expansions that have been done. Fortunately, catnapped pictures do give us a look at the different sections of the store. From this vantage point, it looks like the pitched-roof store ended just along the right side of Produce.
This are of the store may have received new flooring for the latest remodel. The rest of the store did not.
No shortage of signage here!
The Bakery appears to be in an unusual spot to the rear of Produce.
Crossing into the former pitched-roof portion of the store.
Support beams from the original store running along the left side here. Acme has been resetting the converted stores to have coffee and cereal in the first aisle of grocery. Guess I'm a little old school but I like my salad dressing and condiments in aisle 1. That's the way Acme used to do it!
The flooring here is a hold over from the Chalkboard Market décor.
Are these milk price signs still used in Pennsylvania stores? The converted stores in New Jersey never got this signage.
Wine & Spirits looks to be along the front of the store
Shelf-checkouts still here when these photos were taken last May.
AERIAL VIEWS
You can see the pitched-roof pretty clearly in the areal images.
Quick look at the former
Acme of Newtown Square...
Photo courtesy of Josh on flickr
Location: 3721 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA
Mattress Giant has since left since Josh's photo and the building is showing up abandoned on Google maps...
Here you can catch a glimpse of the original Newtown Square Acme's sign! Photo courtesy of Newtown Square Preservation Society. It appears in Images of America's West Chester Pike book. Thanks to Kevin for sending it in!
Here you can catch a glimpse of the original Newtown Square Acme's sign! Photo courtesy of Newtown Square Preservation Society. It appears in Images of America's West Chester Pike book. Thanks to Kevin for sending it in!
HISTORIC IMAGES
2010
2002
1999
The major expansion to the left side of the building happened during the 90's. Its a little harder tracing the expansions to the right side.
1992
1987
1965
1971
Expansions may have happened to both sides and the rear by 1971.
1958
1953
Thanks to catnapped for bringing us this long-awaited tour of the Newtown Square store!
So was the first very first pitched roof American Stores store? As I recall, they extended the pitched roofs to Alpha Beta in the West.
ReplyDeleteAs for the sign discrepancy, it's probably because PA has minimum milk prices and NJ doesn't. It's the reason why Louisiana state law prohibits sales that push milk down to $3/gallon, whereas in Texas it hovers around $2/gallon and sales at Aldi can even push it down to $1/gallon.
No, the Plexiglass ad is from 1957. Newtown Square opened in 1958.
DeleteThe Lincroft, New Jersey used to have the same milk pricing signage.
The Aerial images put the size of a pitched roof store into perspective because that is now an average sized store and it dwarfs the pitched roof section greatly.
ReplyDelete