Location: 2200 Mount Holly Road, Burlington, NJ
The spectacular Burlington Acme finally arrives at Acme Style! One of the top requested stores here on the blog since day one. Another frequently requested store is the nearby Mount Holly location. Believe it or not, I didn't make it to there on this trip. The sun was already beginning to set when I arrived here at the Burlington store. Mount Holly will be covered in the first half of this year. At this point, nearly every remaining New Jersey Acme has been photographed and will be going up on the blog in the coming months.
Lots of interesting things to talk about here at the Burlington Acme. I've been told the store opened back in 1997, having taken over a portion of a former Bradlees discount department store which closed in 1995, possibly due to a Walmart joining the center. All remaining Bradlees stores closed in early 2001 when the chain went under. Judging from the satellite images, the Walmart opened before the Acme set up shop. Back in those days, Walmart wasn't the quite the threat to supermarkets as it's grocery selection was relatively minimal. Acme appears to have done alright in all of it's years competing with Walmart. The store had a huge remodel done back in 2006. I believe this is the only New Jersey location to receive the full floor-to-ceiling "Premium Fresh and Healthy" package. This includes all new cases, new lighting and new flooring. I haven't quite been to all NJ Acmes just yet but I don't think any of the remaining ones on my list have had this extensive remodel.
The Walmart, on the other hand, has not been extensively remodeled like most of their locations. Granted, I didn't step inside but the old logo and color scheme remain on the outside. I flat out refuse to do any business with Walmart. Gave up on them in the late 90's when I began learning of their truly evil business practices. Looks like the residents of Burlington may share some of the same feelings. Walmart's plans of converting this location into a Super Center date back to 2005 but have yet to begin. Legal issues and resistance from the township have the expansion plans on hold. For Acme's sake, let's hope the plans never get the green light!
Let's get fresh and healthy...
This decor package was rolled out in the mid-2000's. Two stores featured on the blog were built with this package... the
Avondale store (scroll down past the Kennet Square pictures) and the now defunct
Limerick store. Many existing stores were remodeled with variations of this package with very few getting this deluxe treatment. The only other store I've been in with this same package is the
Feasterville location. Most other locations received a less extravagant version of this package as seen in the
Woodbury (below the Mantua pictures) and
Flourtown stores. Prior to the 2006 remodel, Burlington had been sporting the
90's Red/White/Blue decor, which we'll get a slight peak at down below.
This is a huge and impeccable clean store. Unfortunately a little light on customers during my visit.
Center aisle looking across to Dairy. Notice the super high ceilings left over from the building's department store days.
Deli and Meat along the back of the store.
Awnings like the one seen here were built in a few departments around the store for the remodel. These would not continue to be added in stores as this remodel was rolled out. Back lit department letters were also ditched in favor of just sticking the letters on the wall. See
Woodbury.
Center aisle looking over to Produce.
The deeeeluxe Pharmacy department!
Faux hardwood floors in Health and Beauty.
The cavernous front end.
And now for a peek at the former decor!
These photos were taken back in '97 or '98, focusing more on displays than the decor. Check out the register lights! Acme was so late in the game joining other chains in having register lights. They were not included in the 80's remodel and only some stores received them during the Checkerboard Arch remodels. It wasn't until the 90's Red/White/Blue package that they became standard issue. Unfortunately, they were soon ripped out of all stores and replaced with the generic, advertisement holding register signs. See
here. The ads have thankfully disappeared in recent years and have been replaced with Acme's own promotional signage. You can see them here at the former
Glassboro store with "Gotta Love Great Deals" signs in each.
Now that we have the register lights taken care of, check out the deluxe aisle markers! They're a little hard to see here. Jump over to the former
Fallston store for a slightly better look. The aisle markers there were mostly likely a hand-me-down from a remolded store. The original Red/White/Blue aisle markers can be seen
here.
Fruit Bar and Bakery just over the mountain of bread.
A bit more of the wall decor beyond the wall of baked goods.
Back to the present for a look outside...
Acme took up about 2/3 of the Bradlees store with Marshalls taking over the rest.
Walmart over on the right.
Through the years...
2007
2002
1995
Acme had yet to move in as of 1995.
1970
All that remains of
the former Burlington Acme...
Location: 364 East Route 130, Burlington, NJ
The Burlington Acme that once stood here opened in Feb 1960. I don't have confirmation on this but would imagine it closed when the new Acme opened.
UPDATE: A super Wawa is now open at this site.
2007
2002
Did it remain abandoned until it was torn down? Kills me finding out about all these abandoned Acme's I could have gone to back when I was only dreaming about doing an Acme website!
1995
1971
1963
1958
Let's hope Burlington continues to say NO to Walmart!
UPDATE: The Walmart expansion has unfortunately begun.
