Winter Storm Panic at Bala Cynwyd Acme!

Classic "Tell A Friend" Commercial!

Courtesy of Gray Flannel Videos on YouTube

The world-famous "Tell A Friend" commercials starred Canadian televisions host Alan Hamel, who's probably best know for being Suzanna Sommers husband. He also served as the spokesman for the Alpha Beta supermarkets in California. This particular ad was most likely shot in an Alpha Beta. We get a glimpse of the back wall and it doesn't bear any resemblance to what an Acme would have looked like in the early 80's. The "Reduced Price" tags were a staple at Acme throughout the 80's. 

Classic "Tell A Friend" Commercial from 1982!

Commercial courtesy of Gray Flannel Videos

How to be a good supermarket cashier!

I wasn't able to put together a former Acme post for today, so instead I'll leave you with this highly entertaining video from the 60's. It begins with all sorts of scenes from around several 60's supermarkets. It's a wild trip to the grocery stores of the past!

Acme Commercial from 1988

Courtesy of classicretailads on youtube

Acme "Wheel of Fortune" Commercial from 1988

From Chuck D.'s collection on youtube.

90 Years of Grocery Retailing Innovation

This video was made by Progressive Grocer in celebration of their 90 years of publishing. It is chock full of supermarket awesomeness! Many of the images were supplied by our friend Dave over at Pleasant Family Shopping. The video is a rather lengthy 17 minutes long, so you'll want to set aside some time to view the whole thing. You'll be glad you did.

A New Acme TV commercial...

As I was preparing the ads for the Lincroft Grand Opening post, I wondered what Acme's current TV commercials were like. I don't live in an area where they would air so I headed over to you tube to see what I could find. To my surprise were some very delightful "We're Fresh" commercials for several of SuperValu's banners. The commercial above is Acme's holiday ad, the only current Acme ad I could find. There is a similar one for Jewel which you can view by clicking here. They just switch out the front doors and some other graphics throughout the commercial to match up with the specific chain. A non-holiday commercial for Albertsons can seen here.

Happy Holidays from Acme Style!

Video courtesy of WhatsAYak on youtube

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Step inside the Beach Haven Acme...

I have no idea what the point of this video is, apparently some sort of inside joke that's lost on me. All that aside, the video gives us a nice look inside the Acme in Beach Haven, New Jersey. Particularly the script logo on the door handles as the camera exits the store. I would suggest letting the video load and then jumping to the 2:50 when the camera finally heads indoors... unless of course you enjoy watching traffic lights change from green to red. Hitting the mute button wouldn't hurt either. Thanks to Barry Caselli for sending it in!

Acme DEMOLITION!

First up... the Acme in Wayne Pa. You can visit the full post of this store by clicking here. The Wayne store closed earlier this year along with 5 other Acmes. The building is being subdivided into several restaurants and stores.

BEFORE

AFTER

Photo courtesy of Greg Prichard

Gregg took this picture back in March where we see the 90's addition to the front getting wiped away. Plans for the building have been in the works for years. Sad to see this place finally go. Acme was apparently waiting to close Wayne until it could get the green light to build a new store in Bryn Mawr...

Check out this video of the tower coming down! It's a quickie. Blink and you'll miss it. Greg left a link to this video in the Bryn Mawr comments but it's so good it needed to be included in a post. The new store is set to open next March.

Welcome to your NEW Browns Mills Acme!

Well not really. This video, posted by steve5122 on youtube, claims to give you a "quick look around" the remodeled Browns Mills Acme, but the store never makes an appearance. Stranger yet, there are two different decor packages shown in the video leaving the viewer unsure of how their newly remodeled Acme actually looks. Clearly the video package is used for all remodeled stores with the voiceover intro changed to mention a specific store which has just been remodeled. Customers must have received the DVD in the mail or in store as they can return it to Customer Service for a $10 off coupon. This particular video's offer expired January 19, 2007.

Are Toys R Us and Office Depot still partners with Acme/Alberstons in the toy and office supply departments? The video mentions that they are but I don't recall seeing signage in any Acme in recent years that would indicate these partnerships are still ongoing.

Soon-to-be former Acme, Fallston MD

Photo above courtesy of Michael Lisicky of Baltimore

Location: 2315 Bell Air Road, Fallston, Maryland

ABC2 News broke the story to Fallston residents
in it's January 4 newscast. 

The following exterior photos courtesy of Drew in Baltimore

The Fallston Acme comes to us through photos from several Acme Style contributors. I had hoped to eventually get to this store to experience it for myself but my hopes were dashed when the recent store closings were announced. Fortunately our contributors did an outstanding job capturing the store.

A classic "33M" format which appears to be in rather excellent condition. The red paint job is certainly an unusual treatment for an Acme. It is a huge improvement over the light green color that was used during the 90's. Interesting to note the shingles as opposed to the standard corrugated metal.

The Fallston Acme is closing largely due to the anticipation of future competition. Walmart is building a huge new store just up the street and the Acme is getting out of town before it opens. Plans have been underway since 2007 but have been delayed due to Walmart acquiring permits to build the store and to make necessary road improvements. The store was initially designed to be 147,000 square feet with room for an a possible expansion of 57,000. I can't find confirmation online as to what the final size will be. Either way... the store will be stocked full of low-priced groceries. Wegmans was also shopping for a site in Fallston but has decided to go with a site 15 minutes away in Abingdon. Construction is well underway there with a planned opening this spring.

The block letter logo sign is a very recent addition to the store. More details on that down below. 

A great exterior shot which gives us a clear look into the store. Can you name that decor? Let's head in and take a closer look...  

Produce shote courtesy of Gary of Delaware

Judging from the interior photos taken by two of our contributors, I would have to say this store is in exceptional shape. The 80's decor has been traded out for the late 90's "We gotta sell this supermarket chain" Convenience Store decor. Doesn't look too bad here. The 80's checkerboard floor is still in and place and is looking as good as I've ever seen it so many years later. 

The shot above is an excellent perspective of the Produce department of the "33M" store formats. During the 70's and 80's, these stores had an additional aisle running just under the edge of the drop ceiling. Produces cases lined the wall mirroring the cases on the left wall forming a narrow Produce aisle. Grocery shelving ran along the other side creating a true aisle 1. This aisle was removed throughout the 90's, sometimes during a remodel and sometimes not, in order to expand Produce. I would be interested to see the tile work here along the area where the aisle once stood. Did they try to recreate the checkerboard pattern where the shelving once was or just put down all white tiles? (Yep, these are the kinds of questions I need answers to.) The removal of these aisles certainly helped open up the Produce area which was often very cave-like in 70's and 80's stores. 

Interior shots courtesy of Michael Lisicky of Baltimore

You can clearly see here how well this store is maintained. Fully stocked shelves with merchandise neatly organized. And... stop the presses... no burned out lights!

Check out those aisle markers. Deluxe versions of the 90's Red/White/Blue aisle markers which I have only ever seen in Convenience Store remodels.

This is the only "Convenince Store" remodel I've seen with "Lancaster" branded Meat Department.

This store did not get the blue stripes and red blocks along the lower portions of the walls.

The Bakery Department in the front corner. Checkout stands straght ahead. (We're not following this guy... the guy you may have seen at the checkouts has a blue shirt and white shorts.)

Serious old-school clock here. These went into every Acme back in the early 80's. The old fish-eye logo still on the clock. The other section was used for advertisements that would be switched out every couple of months. I would imagine that the company who handled this no longer exists which is why the generic "Thank you for shopping with us" panel is now in the display. Oh, do I remember staring at one of these clocks just waiting for my shift to be done.

Exterior shots courtesy of Gary of Delaware

The red oval sign still on front as of October 2009, making it the last store in the chain to be upgraded to the block letter logo. The Newton and Princeton Junction stores in New Jersey both made it to 2009 with the red oval sign but closed that same year.

Other signs around the store had been changed out with the newer logo. Notice the interesting wordwork which runs throughout the shopping center.

Gary gives us a nice tour around the store...

And now back to Drew's more recent pictures where we sign the other signs having been upgraded as well. The letters have become more bold over the years.

Soon to be alot more space available in this shopping center.

Now for the aerial perspective...

The CVS is right next to the Acme. Somewhat of an odd layout for a shopping center. The stores or offices next to the CVS are tucked away from view from the parking lot.

The shopping center itself is tucked away from the main roads through the area.

Google Maps shows the Walmart under construction.

1971

HistoricAerials doesn't offer much to see for this area. The shopping center had yet to arrive as of 1971.

2005

The next available image is 2005.

The bottom half of this sign could now be replaced by "Shop at Walmart". Sad but true. Acme isn't the only chain being killed by Walmart. Won't be the last either. I've worked for two companies that have nearly been destroyed by the ruthless chain. Two reasons, among many, you'll never find me shopping in one.

Thanks to Gary, Drew and Michael for bringing us the Fallston store!

Update 1.26.11: Some additional photos have been sent in by Will which show the store winding down it's business. Closing signs are up in the windows and shelves are emptying out. We get a look at some additional departments in the store that weren't seen in earlier interior shots...

Happy Holidays from Acme Style!

It's Christmastime at Acme... 1987! Another classic commercial courtesy of the ClassicRetailAds Channel on YouTube. To see more Acme commercials and other classics, click here. And if you haven't already done so, better order your party platter from the Corner Deli!

This will be the last post of 2010. I've decided to make the 100th post of the year... the very last. Hey, that's up 20 posts from 2009! Plans are already in full swing for our 2011 adventures. We'll be seeing a little less of New Jersey and much more of Pennsylvania. And thanks to some new contributors to Acme Style, we'll be seeing more Maryland and Delaware locations as well.

As the year winds down to a close, don't forget to check out the exciting Acme Style Directory for an overview of all the blog's contents from the past 2 years. It's the most convenient way to track down your favorite Acme Markets, past and present.

Acme Style will kickoff it's 3rd big year in business on Friday,
January 7, 2011. Until then, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

"More In Store" at the Acme in Vineland, NJ!

This ad from January 1999 comes to Acme Style courtesy of the ClassicRetailAds Channel on YouTube. To see more Acme commercials and other classics from Pathmark and Thriftway to name a few, click here. If you haven't already, please press "play" now.

The Vineland Acme is ready for it's close-up! Freshly watered down parking lot (with no rain clouds in site) creates a crisp and cool reflection. The front of the store is basked in a sunshiny yellow glow for that crack-of-dawn feeling. Built sometime between 1995 and 1999, this stire was clearly a stand-out in the chain to land a role in a TV commercial. The interesting design of the foyers was actually dictated by the shopping center which has a castle theme throughout. We'll be taking a tour down below.

January 1999... finally time for the red oval logo to go! (Too bad cause it's looking really good here.)

In with the new block letter logo... a good 5 to 6 years after it was first introduced.

The Vineland NJ Acme in real life! Still looking quite sharp from the outside. Unfortuantely the interior doesn't live up to the high bar set by the exterior.  

I was hoping to replicate the shots in the commercial but didn't quite get there. The trees in the parking lot are much larger than when the commercial was filmed creating some obstacles to getting the perfect matching shot.

The Pharmacy and Dairy side of the store. 

ACME got bumped over from it's original spot to make room for the Sav-on sign.  

The red signage is being converted to white on stores that receive the "Premium Fresh and Healthy" remodel. The signs here blend in to the brick walls to the point of being practically invisible from the roads surrounding the shopping center. 

The trees further disguise the store until fall does away with their leaves. Still a hardy green for late October.

Produce right through this foyer. Let's take a tour of the interior...

Albertson's Marketplace remodel: the no-frills version. The Produce Department looks quite nice here. Notice how the left side of both of the A's in "Farmstand" is busted. 

All departments names spelled out with no bells and whistles. Reminds me of stores from the 70's. The service departments here didn't get the deluxe treatment with the large sign mounts and blue light boxes on either side. The previous 90's Red/White/Blue look had more pizzaz to it than the remodel. 

Split aisles which is common in the 90's stores. The soda aisle lines the Frozen Food Deapartment in the center of the store. The green on the columns add some much needed color. In other stores, the slanted part of the drop ceiling is painted green as well which adds a very nice effect,

The 90's Red/White/Blue floor tiles still in place. This store is also lacking the faux iron signs- can't find a better way to describe those things- that are usually mounted to the walls around the permitter of the store. There was an abundance of these signs hanging along the checkout area... which I didn't get a picture of. 

And back outside...

Time to check out the rest of the castle-style shopping center...

I would have gone nuts over this place as a kid.

Hard to believe that this is the backside of Café Centro.

Even the back of the Acme (back on the right) has nice details.

Still a grassy field in 1995. (Not sure why some of the HistoricAerial thumbnails are out of whack. Seem to be a problem on their end.)

The sign out on North Main Street... didn't quite get the castle treatment. And now on to the former Acmes of Vineland...

A former "Colonial Cottage" about a mile up North Main street. I drove past but didn't stop to take a picture. Didn't look as much like a former Acme in person as it does in these aerial shots (plus I had alot of other stops to make for the day). The Acme windows were still intact along the front. From here it looks as though only minor upgrades were made to the awning.

Another former Acme. This one is about 2 1/2 miles west on Landis Avenue. Not many clues in this shot that the CVS was a former Acme. In the shote below, check out the old Acme sign in the lower right-hand corner. Drove by this one too not thinking there was much to see until I looked up the aerial images. 

A perspective of the new Acme in relation to the old stores. (Oval logo used just reference. Not sure what logo appeared on the front of the old stores.)