Former Acme/A&P — Lodi, New Jersey

Pictures courtesy of GUMan

Location:  4 Memorial Drive, Lodi NJ

The former A&P of Lodi, which also happens to be a former Acme, has been converted to an Aldi and Blink Fitness. A&P closed here back in 2010. Business took a big hit when a newly built ShopRite opened just down the street.


An interesting comment in the original Lodi post explains how this A&P was to be converted to a Food Basics years prior to it closing but plans were changed at the last minute…

Shoprite was a major factor in the stores decline. For the full before and after post of the Lodi A&P, please click here. I recall being set to close one other time while I was working there. Every item in the store was pretty much gone,shelving semi taken down, most employees transferred to other stores and we just kind of hung around and waited for the last day to come. The store was slated to become a food basics (which probably would of done great in the lodi area)and at the last minute something changed and we got a call from the district manager saying that we were staying open. I dont remember if after bringing all the merchandise back in we updated the store at that time, but we did have a grand re-opening etc.


Aldi has relocated the entrance to where A&P's exit was located. A&P's former entrance appears to be walled over. I'm assuming Aldi extends all the way over to the right. It looks as though there may be an additional store front not yet occupied to the left of the Aldi. You can compare the picture above with the abandoned A&P below to see what changes have been made.




One final shot of the A&P while it was still open, taken in early 2010. For the full post on the Lodi A&P, please click here.

Former Acme/A&P, Lodi NJ

Location: 4 Memorial Drive, Lodi NJ

The Super A&P Food Market in Lodi New Jersey closed in October 2010 along with 24 other A&P and Pathmark stores. Many of these closings were due to A&P and Pathmark stores overlapping in the same areas which became an issue back in 2007 when A&P purchased the troubled Pathmark chain. While this store was indeed located near a Pathmark, it's closure was due more to a brand new ShopRite opening just blocks away.  

Prior to being an A&P, this grocery store began it's life as a newly constructed Acme opening back in 1980. It joined Rockaway, which also opened that same year, as being the newest Acmes in North Jersey. Lodi's relatively short life came to an end in May of 1998, the very same day they pulled the plug on the beloved Succasunna store. The next brand new North Jersey Acme would arrive in 2002 in Randolph. That store was a planned Grand Union which Acme snapped up when GU went under. Acme could have acquired more Grand Unions, helping it to reestablish itself in North Jersey but that didn't happen. Instead, Acme has chosen to continue to wind down it's operations in this region. Both A&P and Acme have been unable to successfully compete with ShopRite. 

As an Acme, this store would have looked nearly identical to the Berlin location. Both Lodi and Berlin were paired up with Kmart. You can click here to see a picture. The layout of the store and shopping center is flipped in Berlin. 

The windows here were most likely added by A&P. Acmes generally didn't have windows in this section. Floral would have been behind the wall with Produce lining the right wall. 

Some scars left from Acme's entrance and exit. You can even see the outline of the old magic carpets. Again, this entrance and exit would have been set up similarly to the Berlin store. 

Kmart down yonder.

New exit added by A&P.

The emergency exit might be in the same exact spot as the Acme's, although it would appear that some of these windows were added after Acme left. See the Berlin store for a comparison. 

Scars left from Acme's cart corral gates. You can see what they looked like at the old Clementon store. Standard issue for many Acmes in the 70's.

The Acme ended right along with the awning. The addition clearly visible with it's lighter color...

Good thing they don't seal over the windows of abandoned Acmes! I was able to get a peak inside. All I could see was the A&P back and white tiled floor. No chance of getting any interior shots here. The windows are sealed tight!

The old Acme parking lot sign still standing switched out with the A&P sign...

Around to the back. The newer section seen here. 

The unloading bays remain from the Acme days...

This section received an addition to the rear along with the expansion of the store. 

The Kmart with it's updated signage. The interior remains mostly unchanged from it's Big Kmart days. 

Surprisingly closed for the Easter holiday. Isn't Kmart open on Thanksgiving and Christmas?

A few pictures of the A&P when it was still in business...

Peeps o' plenty! These interior shots were taken just before Easter back in 2010. Ironically, all of the abandoned photos above were taken on Easter Sunday of this year. 

The interior here was A&P's look in the early to mid 90's. Had some similarities to Acme with it's white walls and checkerboard patterns. I've always been a big fan of these service department signs. Well, they were cool looking back in the 90's anyway. The A&P gutted the Acme interior and started from scratch. There were no Acme clues left inside. A&P even built a second floor managers office in the front of the store. Hey, why didn't the Acme add on and remodel? 

The Bakery was located back in the far left corner. Assortment limited at this point as business declined. A portion of the Bakery now displaying bottled water. 

Odd department sign structure. From a graphic design standpoint, it's a font nightmare. Hurts my eyes just looking at that thing. Kinda small too considering the dairy aisle runs the whole side of the store. 

Image courtesy of Mike W

Some employees got a little creative with a Halloween decoration and the empty Deli case. Things winding down here last October. (Getting a lot of holidays covered in this post)

And now for the aerials...

"Big Kmart" signs still up in this image.

Hold on to your P's and Q's... it's coming!

I didn't go in. Might be nice. Who knows. ShopRite is the most uninteresting grocery store chain around. I'll never understand their appeal. I rarely leave one satisfied with my shopping experience. 

I will say this store has a very attractive exterior. Especially along the street...

Too bad the new Bryn Mawr Acme isn't going to look a bit more like this store.

A&P bracing for impact. The new ShopRite still under construction. 

The image above shows the nearby Pathmark and Stop & Shop along Route 17. The two stores back up to each other with the Pathmark facing Route 17 and clearly visible from Route 80. The Stop & Shop is a former Grand Union and has been expanded and significantly renovated over the years. The Pathmark was remodeled a few years ago with the exceptionally nice (for Pathmark standards) "Go Fresh. Go Local." interior. You can have a look here at the Edgewater store. (Scroll down below the closed Randolph Pathmark)

2008

The addition to the left side clearly visible from the air. Still a decent amount of cars in the parking log considering that the ShopRite had opened by this time.

2002

1995

Does anyone know why the Acme's days were numbered at this point? A&P clearly saw the location as a viable opportunity. 

1987

The good ol' days. Lodi was remodeled in the 80's and most likely closed with it's 80's interior. 

1979

Another Acme Coming Soon!

1970

A lot of buildings cleared out of the way to make from new shopping in Lodi.

Jane Parker has left the building. Maybe Acme should move back in! Oh forget it. If there are two chains who can't figure out how to compete with ShopRite... it's Acme and A&P.