Stop & Shop – Basking Ridge, NJ

Former Grand Union with 80's Remodel!

Location: 553 Finely Avenue, Basking Ridge, NJ

Today, we're hopping into a time machine and going back to the past! The Basking Ridge Stop & Shop is a former Grand Union which has had very few modifications since its Grand Union days. In fact, when I visited this store, I could barely drag myself outta here. Not only does it look like a Grand Union, it feels just like a Grand Union! That feeling won't be lasting much longer. Stop & Shop is closing on October 29 when the lease expires. After reviewing the store's performance of late, it was decided to shutter rather than renew the lease. The company's store in Westfield, New Jersey is closing as well. That store will go dark on October 22. You can check out that location over on The Market Report by clicking here. 

Grand Union opened here in August 1970, clocking in at only 20,000 square feet. In the early 90's, the store was expanded by 10,000. A 9,000 foot addition was put on the right side of the building while about another 1,000 feet was gained by extending the front-end out to the curb, a standard practice for Grand Union and their 80's remodels. In 2001, the store was converted to a Stop & Shop, which left the building mostly untouched ever since. New registers and aisle markers are about the extent of the changes since the Grand Union days. Let's step inside for some of the red dot magic of it all...

Here we see the expansive front-end with the famous light boxes above. Back in the 80's, this was a fascinating feature in Grand Unions. The original front of the store would have been located where the column is to the left, next to the shopper in red. 

The produce alcove is on the right side of the store. This is one of the only areas where we'll see some upgrades in cases since the GU days. Even so, the layout has not been changed at all. The beautiful wood paneling from the 80's remodel has been untouched throughout the store.

Unfortunately, the department signage has not. 

Now the floor is very confusing. The tiling is from the late 90's remodels yet this store didn't get the 80's remodel until the early 90's. Did the flooring deteriorate so much that it needed to be replaced in less than 10 years? I can't imagine but that is what appears to have happened. 

The floral department has already shut down. This area seems to have been upgraded from the GU days since it is no longer red and white which are the ONLY two colors Grand Union worked with in the 80's.  

A quick look at the front-end all with S&S registers. No self-checkouts here, yet a total surprise to see five available cashiers for a store that is clearly flatlining. 

S&S lighting over the aisles. In the photos, it look slike the store is bright and well-lit but in person it is surprisingly dark and moody, especially in the aisles. 

Judging from the exteior, I was surprised how small the store felt inside. While it has decent width, the aisles feel extremely short. 

Stop & Shop's rather unattractive repurposing of Grand Union department signs. I'll never forget seeing these for the first time, thinking, wow, what a downgrade. 

With only 6 weeks left until closing, I was surprised to see no going-out-of-business sales happening here. They are letting inventory to run out. There is also a complete lack of random displays, which actually gives the store a sleek and organized feel. An interesting note, S&S has announced all inventory that is not sold here by the closing date will be donated to a local food bank. 

Most cases throughout are left-over from the GU days, now painted over yet chips and scrapes reveal the cases' original red color. 

The lighting here is not typical for an 80's remodel, but since this store appears to have been remodelled in the following decade, the company may have switched to new light fixtures. I've never seen lighting directly above the department signs before. 

The deli cases do appear to have been upgraded since Stop & Shop took over, now with scaled-down selection.

This red tiling confuses me. More 80's than the late 90's flooring. 

This place has the old supermarket vibe nailed with perfection

There was harly a soul shopping here when I visited and the few that were here, were grabbing just a handful of items. 

Always an interesting aspect of Grand Unions is the dairy aisle being a part of the grocery department instead of lining the far wall. It was pretty standard procedure to move dairy into the aisles and away from the walls in the 80's remodels. Frozen, which was often in the center of the stores, was relocated to the perimeter. 

The frozen food cases are terribly dated and in very rough shape. 

Seafood no longer with a service couter. 

A peak behind the cases. 

Here's a throwback... upright freezer cases with no doors! Hard to believe these ever existed. The freezers to the left, apparently a leaky mess. I decided not to include photos of sagging ceiling tiles with what appeared to be black mold. The store is sorely in need of a renovation, far beyond aesthetic improvements. 

Grand Union added bakeris to their store during the 80's remodels. They went from having none, to running the absolute best supermarket bakeries of the time. Their baked goods had a homemade taste and feel to them. Not at all like mass produce supermarket baked goods, which is exactly what S&S brought in when they converted the stores. 

Looking down the dairy aisle from the front of the store. 

Customer service was also revamped by Stop & Shop, with a built-in clock added to the wall.  

A bit of overkill with front-end photos but GU had a vibe like no other store out there. Truly ahead of its time. Hard to believe it wouldn't be long after their rebirth in the 80's, which brought record-breaking sales and profits, when the chain would stumble and fall back into failing mode. This was largely attributed to Grand Union's avoidance of building replacement stores. They insisted on upgrading existing stores, which were getting dwarfed by competitors and no longer able to draw shoppers with nothing more than shiney new décor. 

Here we can see wher the original store ened on the right. The entrance and exit were new here after the front wall was extended to the left. 

Stop & Shop's sign is virtually invisible. Don't get me started on the fruit-bowl-era. We'll be here all day!

A look at the 9,000 square foot addition to the right side. 

This is actually a very attractive shopping center. Looks to have had some nice upgrades in recent years with the addition of stonework around the columns and store exteriors. Very nice landscaping as well. 

Word is the Stop & Shop won't be abandoned for long. A new food store has already been approved, and extensive renovations are undoubtedly planned. Banners mentioned online are Fresh Market and Fresh Grocer. Whatever becomes of the place, we'll always be able to jump back to GU's glory days of the 80's and early 90's by stopping by this post! 

1970

Here we see the store still under construction in 1970. 

1979

A nice crisp image of the shopping center in 1979

1995

By 1995, the store had been expanded, while the 1991 view shows no changes so this store was upgraded very late into Grand Union's 80's floor to celing make-overs. 

Funny how the original buling still stands out to this day having never been painted white. 

A look at the surrounding area with no other shopping centers close by.