Transformation of the Princeton Junction Acme Part II...

Andrew K. sent these pictures in way back in March. The renovations of the shopping center are nearly done now. To view the previous posts on the Princeton Junction store, please click here. Thanks to Andrew for capturing the transformation at just the right time to see the skeleton of the old pitched-roof store!








The store in it's former glory.
























For recent views of the nearly completed shopping center, click the links below...

•Back corner
•Front of shopping center (click on the 2 photos below the rendering)

Transformation of the Princeton Junction Acme...

Photos courtesy of Paul R. 

Pictures just in of the current state of the former Princeton Junction store. Paul stopped by just at the right time to get some shots of the store hollowed out. These shots give us a fantastic look at the original pitched-roof building...

After years of speculation as to the fate of this shopping center and the Acme, plans have finally been revealed of the finished product. The former Acme will be divided up into smaller retail spaces but will retain much of it's current characteristics. The mansard roof will be getting dressed up but will surprisingly remain in place. The pitched-roof along the back will also remain visible in the renovated structure. What's seems quite odd is that store fronts will be facing out of the back of the building. Certainly will be a challenge bringing foot traffic around to the other side. Perhaps the spaces in back will be used for doctors offices and such. You can see a rendition of the finished shopping center at Cyzner Properties. Additionally renderings, which include the back, can be seen here. 

And now for an update to the original Princeton Junction post. Back when the store first went up on the blog, I was not aware of the Historic Aerial website which lets us travel back to the past to see how a particular store evolved over the years. Unfortunately for me, Blogger has been evolving over the years and has made it extremely difficult to make significant updates to older posts. For that reason, I am including the satellite images for Princeton Junction in this post. 

These images offer an accurate time frame of when the pitched-roof model was expanded. I had reported in the original post that the expansion happened during the 80's remodel. It did not. You'll see in the 1979 image down below that the expansion was in it's final stages. To view the original post from 2009 please click here. 

2007

2002

1986

This place was jumpin' back in '86. This shot may have been taken after the 80's remodel was completed.

1979

You can see in the image above that the parking lot had yet to be paved along the newly added section. Construction vehicles appear to be in the parking lot to the left of the store. They've been cropped out of the image above.

1972

Acme stood alone in 1972, paired up with a massive parking lot. 

1969

I don't have an exact opening date for the store. It may not have been open as of this shot in 1969. It's been reported that the store lasted 39 years. 

1963

Abandoned Acme! Princeton Junction, NJ

After much delay... my pictures from the Princeton Junction store are finally here! This store closed on May 7, 2009 after being in business for 39 years. Updates to Acme Style have been a little slow in coming lately but I hope this one was worth the wait...

The red oval logo is a bit of a mystery at this location. The interior received a significant upgrade sometime in the early 2000's yet the the sign was not replaced. Many Acme's received new signage in the late 90's without having interior upgrades. This store's distinctive 80's exterior remained until it's very last day.

I went to Princeton Junction at the end of May to get my pictures. Had heard the store was cleared out and ready to be photographed. But when I took my first interior shot I saw that there were several people inside still cleaning up. I wasn't sure about the reaction I would have gotten to taking pics so I split.

Returned two weekends ago. All signs now painted over, the store officially cleared out. Acme's lease was up as of May 31, 2009. They decided not to renew due to growing competition from newer stores in the area. Acme's lease was ending at a time when the township was interested in redeveloping this shopping center which is very much showing it's age. Various plans of been drawn up from minor facade improvements to complete reconstruction of the property. As far as I know, no final plans have been decided upon. Rumors abound that King's will be moving into Acme's old space. I didn't see any "For Lease" signs on the property so perhaps it's fate has been decided.

This store started out as a pithced-roof Acme. More evidence to come. The front windows appear to be original. This store went through a massive transformation during the 80's remodel. Would have loved to have been able to see it go from a pithced-roof style to the classic 80's format.

The distinctive stripes seen on many 80's styled stores.

The entrance and exit was moved to this end during the 80's remodel.

From the outside this emergency exit looks as though it may have been the original Entrance/Exit from the store's pithced-roof days. But when you look inside you can see that this exit does not line up with the end of the pitched-roof section.

Not sure where this door lead to. Frozen food cases lined this section of the store as I remember. The Bakery may have been moved away from the corner during the 2000's remodel.

Heading around the side...

And now to that back of the store where the original pitched-roof section can be clearly seen.

This loading dock section was probably added during the 80's expansion and remodel.

Can anyone explain the beam that is sticking out at the top? I have seen this on other pitched-roof stores and don't know what it's purpose could have been.

UPDATE 7.9.09: I received alot of emails regarding my question about the beam. Turns out the beam was built into the frame work of most of the pitched-roof stores and was used with a hoist to lift the compressors into the refrigeration and compressor room. Another Acme Style reader wrote in and said the beam was used to transfer meat from the delivery truck to the store without having anyone lift it. This was back in the day when nearly the entire cow would be delivered to the store for final butchering.

The back area was very swampy. Looks like these doors were no longer used after the expansion.

Dairy and Frozen receiving.

Interior decor package: Looks as though this store was remodeled in the early 2000's. I believe this look was rolled out in older stores after Albertson's bought Acme from American Stores. This look came after the "Chalkboard Market" decor that was used in both old and new Acmes in the late 90's. I am working on a post that will present all of the major decor packages from the 70's to the present. Haven't come up with a name for this decor package.

Unfortunately the department signs have been taken down. You can see where the Produce sign was on the far wall... where the break in the line is.

Take a close look over by Customer Service... there are rements of the blue checkerboard floor tiles used in the 80's remodel.

Another close look reveals the 80's checkerboard floor up and down the aisles. This area was not retiled during the 2000's remodel. There was an odd raised black border that lined these old tiles all the way around the store. Guess it was a way to disguise the seem between the old and the new.

The tiled wall area was the Deli and Seafood section.

Seattle's Best Coffee once a Starbucks in the lower part of the picture. There was still a Starbucks sign in the store leading customers to Seattle's Best (which is owned by Starbucks).

Here you can see where the pitched-roof section ended and the addition begins. The square support beams are where the exterior wall once stood. The low drop ceiling section was common to the entrance/exit side of pitched-rood stores.


Now entering the addition that was made to the store.

Close-up of the wall graphics left behind.

The back wall was the Dairy section. Looks like there may have been a bit of mold problem.

Another close-up of a wall graphic.

The Bakery to the left. You can see the curved wall the upper left-hand corner. A very common feature in 80's styled Acmes especially in the Bakery Department.

Now exiting the Princeton Junction Acme.

Open.

Closed.

Found a $20 bill in the parking lot when I was taking these pictures. Covered gas and lunch for the trip.

Sorry to see you go Acme. This location is a dying breed. One of the only ones left that had not had the exterior completly redone. I was here only once when the store was still open and was very impressed with how clean and nice the interior was. Wish Acme didn't let this one go...

Finishing up with an areal shot of course. You can see the pithced-roof section if you look closely, especially the dip right before the addition.