Location: 125 Franklin Turnpike, Mahwah, NJ
Finally found one... a fully remodeled Acme/former A&P in North Jersey! They're not easy to find up here. Most locations acquired over two years ago remain mostly untouched with just a handful getting décor swaps. I saw some photos online of the Mahwah store which indicated an extensive remodel, the likes of which have not been seen in these parts. Took a trip here last weekend to see for sure and was pleasantly surprised to find a thoroughly remodeled Acme! Upgrades plentiful inside and out. This is clearly a very successful location despite being about 5 minutes away from a popular ShopRite.
Acme even sprung for enough gray paint for the whole facade!
Starbucks is a hold over from A&P with Acme installing a black floor which doesn't look it's best in the winter. The spacious seating area is among the most deluxe you'll find in an Acme...
Even has a fireplace in the back corner!
New hardwood flooring in Produce. Not sure if the lighting here was changed when Acme took over. A&P didn't put the spot lights in all of its "fresh" remodels.
The kerning of "Y" and "o" will drive me nuts til the end of time. It's done the same way in every store and it is completely wrong!
Acme added Produce cases to the right side of the department. A&P had an unusual set up with Floral and grocery aisles.
BEFORE >>>
Before photos courtesy of Dan Asnis' flickr collection
All new wooden Produce cases.
The entire front-end of the store has been reconfigured. The Pharmacy used to be located in this spot.
BEFORE >>>
Bulk Foods! I mentioned in the post for the Suburban Plaza store that these displays are not being added to many of the converted stores.
Just love this crazy A&P ceiling!
Corner Deli out! Boar's Head in! The Corner Deli signage was installed here during the remodel but has since bitten the dust. (You can catch a glimpse of it on the store's yelp page.) The new signage has nice detail with the Brooklyn Bridge but it's hardly noticeable unless you look closely.
Hot Foods on one side, salad bar on the opposite side.
Aisle light covers now all black. The panels in this aisle are brand-new while other aisles still have A&P's cover but now painted black.
New flooring around the entire perimeter of the store. A&P's floors remain in the aisles.
Ok, this drives me nuts. I've seen it in other stores. Acme removed A&P's Kitchen Shop lighted awnings and replaced them with... nothing. Since the store has no overhead lighting, the left side of this aisle is left in the dark. For all the money poured into this store was there not enough left to install lights over this aisle? Half of the next aisle is in the dark too. Below is a "before" view from the Warren store...
Mahwah even got the deluxe bread displays! Unfortunately the bread selection at Acme continues to be the worst of any supermarket chain in the state. Sorry to keep complaining about it but it's true. Why don't they bring back the ACE breads A&P carried? ACE is a "local" brand and would give Acme a unique product not found elsewhere.
New refrigerated bakery case with a nice selection of smaller sized desserts. Not everyone wants huge containers of baked goods even if they're only 5 bucks.
Brand new Pharmacy in this corner. Painted green which I don't believe we've seen before. Customer Service used to be in the area...
BEFORE >>>
Health and Beauty in half high aisle across from the Pharmacy.
Brand new bathrooms too! Love these futuristic sinks.
Sky high ceiling! So unusual for a grocery store these days. The cavernous front-end wasn't as noticeable in the A&P days with the lighting hung down from the ceiling...
All new registers.
Self-checkouts have not been reinstalled. Unlike most Acmes, this store had a large number of employees along the front-end to keep checkout running smoothly.
BEFORE >>>
Cool new 3D view on google maps. Bing does not have birds eye view available for this area.
Acme's close proximity to the Ramsey ShopRite doesn't seem to effect business.
1966
1995
Looks like the new store is just being fished in the image above. The original A&P has been torn down by this point. You can see where it stood in the image below.
1987
With all that land it's hard to believe the tiny A&P wasn't expanded sooner. 
1966
Mahwah has officially been transformed into one of Acme's most premiere locations!
Beautiful store, glad to see ACME invested here. Its an upper income area so if they hadn't invested, the store may not be as successful as it is now.
ReplyDeleteOne might also wonder if that upper income area has something to do with their success (perhaps less people interested in going to the ShopRite to save a bit on prices but have to deal with the crowds that SR tends to get)?
ReplyDeleteBingo@
DeleteRehobeth beach is super exciting store also. Acme spent alot of money renovating that one.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that if Acme invests in a store, they invest A LOT. Stores like Jefferson/Oak Ridge, Edgewater, (both) Jersey City, etc. aren't getting much love from corporate! I wonder what will happen... is Acme planning for another paint-and-plastic-type remodel to add to the remaining A&P stores? Would seem like the best thing at this point. Ooh, picture Quality Built on Acrylic Panes! That wouldn't look half bad, actually!
ReplyDeleteEdgewater got a decent amount of love... Quality Built and new self-checkouts.
DeleteI would argue that the queztion is how many of those stores are going to stay open.
DeleteThe 18th Street Jersey City store still does decent business despite management's every effort to run the place into the ground. Blows my mind that a perpetually bankrupt A&P ran the place better than Acme does on its best day.
DeleteThe reason that store does so well is that there is no other store in the immediate area other than Target, which has lines as long as Acme any time I've been in there.
DeleteAre ShopRite in Hoboken or the little Stop & Shop on Central Ave really competition?
You can't really compare those two situations as the Stop & Shop on Central Ave is the size of a CVS and serves customers in the immediate area. Historically speaking, Acmes die a miserable death when located within a 5 minute distance from a ShopRite.
DeleteI forgot about the ShopRite on Marin Blvd. I haven't been in there, but I've heard it's miserable. I think if I lived in the area, I'd probably shop at the Acme, and I figure lots of other people feel the same.
DeleteI actually like the Acme at Stadium Plaza in JC. The decor definitely matches Acme better than PathMark. The reviews online aren't too bad either.
DeleteFrom my experience both the ShopRite and A&P were always busy. Lots of shoppers from New York. One big selling point is no deposit tax on drinks. Cigarette taxes are probably lower, and until a few years ago, gas tax was a lot lower plus you don't have to pump it yourself. Clothes are also tax-exempt.
ReplyDeleteAcme's really doing their best....but they are top heavy with A&P management that think they are running A&P yet.
ReplyDelete