Acme store closings:

Just announced... 

the classic Mantua Acme is closing!

This store was among the yet-to-be-named locations from the LAST round of closures. This closure is not due to Acme being sold to Cerberus. Mantua will close on March 5 but will live on here at Acme Style. (Click here to visit the original post.) You can read more about the closing at NJ.com. Seven more store closings remain unnamed from the list SuperValu released last September. Chances are there are more Acme's among them.


Last store in the chain with the Convenience Store decor package and the classic aisle markers from the early 80's!

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It's unmistakable...
Weis Markets coming to Hillsborough, NJ!

I first posted news of Weis coming to the former Pathmark store in Hillsborough last March. Rumors have been kicking around online ever since with little confirmation to be found. Well the signs are finally up... Weis is coming soon!




For those who may not be familiar, Weis Markets is a chain based in Sunbury Pa with a huge presence in the easter half of Pennsylvania. The first New Jersey Weis to open, I believe in the early 90's?, was in Newton, New Jersey, right next store to an insanely popular ShopRite. Other chains like A&P and Grand Union failed to survive up against this ShopRite. The Newton Acme was located on the other side of town and was more a victim of it's own lack of maintenance and an exorbitant rent increase by the landlord than the ShopRite. I'm not sure if the Newton Weis is a bona fide success but it has certainly offered a decent alternative to the chaotic, and not always well maintained, ShopRite.

Weis is currently upping it's game in New Jersey by renovating all three of it's current locations to it's "fresh" format, which does include the most attractive decor package in the company's history. Unlike most chains, Weis tends to stick with a decor package for decades at a time. I don't have pictures of their new decor package on the blog yet. You can take a look at their previous, 90's-2000's, look at the Clarks Summit location (below the former Acme pictures). The bold and cold look has been retired for a much warmer and graphic decor package. You can get a glimpse of it here. I think we've all agreed that this "fresh" business is being overused and isn't carrying much weight anymore. Weis, for the most part, is not rebranded they're stores as "fresh" although some do have "fresh market" exterior signage.

Hillsborough, NJ

Weis isn't setting up shop directly next store to a ShopRite in Hillsborough, but it is just a stone's throw away. The ShopRite here suffers from many complaints that often plague other locations... terrible parking lot, horrible layout and not the cleanest store around. The store could improve dramatically by losing an aisle or two to expand its severely cramped produce and service departments. The Stop and Shop next door is nearly identical to it's Edward's days and seems to be used by shoppers as a giant convenience store. I've never seen a customer in here pushing around a fall cart of groceries. While the exterior signage has been updated to S&S's new look, stepping inside feels a bit like entering a time warp. The store is sorely in need of updating.

One disadvantage Weis will face is it's lack of visibility from the heavily traveled Route 206. The shopping center is set back far from the road and is barely visible from 206. Only one of the entrance to the center has a sign listing the big box stores. The sign is low to the ground and inexplicably NOT lit up at night. I have passed this center many times not knowing there were stores behind the few free-standing ones along 206. Seems odd that the retailers in the back haven't demanded better signage. On to the other New Jersey stores...

Newton, NJ

Weis' first New Jersey store. You can see the dramatic difference in business done at each store in this image.

Franklin, NJ

Weis NJ location #2. I believe Walmart came to town after Weis had opened. This store seems to have carved out a better following than the Newton location. 

Hackettstown, NJ

Two more Weis Markets have opened in New Jersey. One here in Hackettstown right next to a ShopRite and another in Flanders New Jersey, which was located across the street from an A&P. I'm not familiar with Hackesttown store  although it's probably safe to assume that Weis isn't putting too much of a dent in ShopRite's business. The Weis store in Flanders closed 2 years after opening. Interesting that it couldn't survive near an A&P. One article I've seen online mentions that Weis was "forced" to close the Flanders location. Not exactly sure what that means. Weis rarely closes locations regardless of how poorly a store performs. The Flanders location was taken over by ShopRite which wound up running the A&P out of business. Now, in a very strange twist, Weis is apparently interested in returning to Flanders by opening in the former A&P! You can read more about it all in the Mount Olive Chronicle by clicking here. 

I will cover the Hillsborough Weis when it opens this year. Looking forward to seeing what a brand-new Weis looks like and what it will have to offer. While I've never been one of Weis' biggest fans, I do admire their determination to take on ShopRite and to remain a small company. Weis seems to be one of the few local supermarket chains left these days to have not been swallowed up by some giant corporation. Hope they can continue to remain a local company for many more decades!

BREAKING NEWS>>>

ACME HAS BEEN SOLD!

Details at Reuters.com. 

So much for my prediction that

Acme and Shaw's wouldn't get sold to Cerberus.
Albertson's, Jewel and Star Markets also sold.

Let's hope Acme has a chance now that it's

free of SuperValu's death grip! 

Additional articles: 
__________________________________________

 "Will buyers keep, sell or shut your Acme?"

 Interesting article over at Philly.com

__________________________________________

Supervalu to sell Albertsons, Acme,

Shaw's, Sav-on, other chains

Transcript.com has an article chock full of details on the sale and speculation on what the future holds for the purchased chains.

In the article supermarket consultant David Livingston, has this to say... "Cerberus will most likely do what they did six years ago with Albertsons – sell, close, sell, close. They are not in this because they have a passion for running grocery stores. You don't buy failing grocery stores because you want to be in the grocery business." Ouch!

__________________________________________

"Acme store closings predicited

in light of Cerberus-SuperValu deal"

Painful article at bizjournals.com

__________________________________________

Big news for today... Acme Style's 4th Anniversary!

Big news for tomorrow... SuperValu's earnings are scheduled to be announced. Probably won't be much good news there. More store closings may be coming. With the exception of last year, Acme has been announcing closings in January for the past several years. Keep your eyes pealed too for a long awaited deal between Cerebus Capital Management and SuperValu. Word is they have worked out a buyout agreement for portions of the company. Doubtful that troubled chains such as Acme and Shaw's will be a part of the buyout. They will likely remain with SuperValu but could possibly benefit from the influx of cash made from the buyout. More news to hopefully come tomorrow.

Back to Acme Style... the first store post of the year will be going up next Friday, January 18th. Decided to take a long holiday break which is causing the delay. There may be some posts between now and then depending on the news that comes out this week. I also have an update going up in a few days about a non-Acme location covered last year on the blog. All emails sent in over the past few weeks will be answered by week's end!

Wishing you all the most Ideal Christmas!

Updates...

Former Acme — Newton, NJ...

Photos courtesy of Rob Ascough

Dollar General has moved into the former Acme in Newton. The exterior work on the store is nothing less than spectacular! They've essentially returned the Acme to it's former glory rather than updating the exterior with a more modern design. The "Super Saver" mansard roof is back to being brown, the color it originally started out as. This section was added on during the 70's remodel to hold the new fish-eye logo sign. The store started out its days with the cursive logo across the awning. It never was a Super Saver formatted store. 

Rob's photo from the late 90's above. Acme unleashed this horrible green paint in the early 90's to update the exterior of older stores. The paint was usually paired with the new block letter logo, but Newton never received the updated signage.  

Still undergoing renovations during Rob's visit.


Renovations complete in this photo from JoshAustin610's flickr collection. Looks incredibly clean and fresh. Notice too, the produce room expansion of the 80's has been removed. I'm hoping to get out that way sometime in the new year to check out the interior. For all previous Newton coverage, please click here.

Acme — Middlesex, NJ...

Photos courtesy of Andrew K.

Look at this! A very nice update given to the exterior of the Middlesex store. The former flat-paneled sign has been replaced with the deluxe 3D lettered sign. HUGE improvement. Nice to see this old store getting some TLC. (The new sign is getting pelted by rain in the photo).  For the original Middlesex post, with a look at the interior, please click here. 

Former Acme — Bordentown, NJ...


Photos courtesy of Billy F.

And finally... the Bordentown store now operating as a Bottom Dollar. The Acme that was located here moved down the road to a brand-new shopping center. The new store, which appears to be among Acme's most successful new stores built in the 2000's,  has been photographed and will go up on the blog early next year. 

A look inside...

Completely gutted of all its Acme characteristics.

For the original Bordentown post, please click here.

Acme — Oxford, PA

Photos courtesy of Gary A.

Location: 2176 Baltimore Pike, Oxford, PA

For the last store post of 2012, we'll be taking a look at the Oxford store. Somewhat of a classic at this point. Opening date here unknown. Could have been anytime in the 70's, or even the early 80's. This store was a replacement to a former 50's store which stood on the same property. The original building is long gone now but surprisingly it's footprint and parking lot remain intact.

I have been yearning to get to this store for years now. It did nt make the list the one time I was out this way to see Parkesburg  and Kennett Square. Making the long trip out there for just one store is something I haven't been able to pull off. It was a very pleasant surprise when Gary sent these pictures in. Gary has also provided us photo coverage of the former Harve De Grace store. 

While the exterior here did receive a significant upgrade, similar to the one at the former Bordentown store, the interior hasn't been so lucky. The last full-scale remodel occurred during the late 80's with a somewhat partial Albertson's Marketplace remodel done sometime in the early 2000's. 

If you look closely, you'll see shiny sections on the cement by the doors. I'm thinking the magic carpets may have been in these spots. Removed when the motion sensor sliding doors were put in.


Odd framing of the sign here. May have been done during a repaint to avoid having to paint around or remove the mounted letters.


Everything is looking relatively new in this shot. Updated floor and deluxe department signage not often seeing in smaller stores. A similar model in Stevenson MD just had plain letters mounted to the walls for each department.


Cases here in the back look to be leftover from the 80's remodel. Now painted black to fit in with the decor. The category signs hanging from the ceiling where brought in right after Albertsons took over Acme. They've now been replaced in most stores with the Premium Fresh and Healthy signs. Updated flooring in this section.


Ah-ha... the 80's checkerboard floor! It remains throughout the store except in the first aisle. Looks like an odd mix of the two styles here although the 80's flooring is in pretty good shape throughout the rest of the store.


Frozen cases appear to have been updated since the 80's remodel but long before the Albertson's Marketplace decor was put in. Interesting to see the more deluxe Albertson's Marketplace decor items here mixed in with leftovers from previous remodels.




The Bakery has see some nice upgrades of it's cases. A decent selection here considering the size of the store.


This shot takes me back. Before the 80's remodels, the greeting cards were located by the in-store Bakery in many stores. They got bumped out into an aisle for the remodel allowing for expanded Bakery selections.


This store has an early "33M" format. Later models would introduce the curved drop ceilings like the ones seen here and here at the former Jersey City store. Another good look of these drop ceilings can be seen a the now former Stevenson store.




The reestablished Customer Service Department which was decimated during the 80's remodel.


Word is that business at Oxford isn't what it used to be mainly due to Walmart opening. The map below shows some of the competition for the Acme...


Acme does have the advantage of being on the other side of town. Redner's may be taking a bigger hit with the new Walmart just across the street.


The building seems ripe for an expansion out of the left side.







And now for a look at the former Acme's location...


I had no idea that a 50's Acme stood on this site until just a few months ago when I was researching this store. Kept looking at this image thinking how strange it was to have a beat up old parking lot to the right of the driveway. After staring at it for a while I realized and old Acme used to be there! This will be confirmed down below in the historic aerial images.


Gary got some shots of the area where the old Acme stood. This would have been the back area of the old store.


The former parking lot out front.


The Ghost of Acme past!

2008

1969

There she is! I have an opening date of 1956 for this store but the image from 1958 still shows a field.

1969

Same year just zoomed in a little closer. Looks like produce is getting a delivery in the front. 

1968

Quiet day in 1968.

1958

And nothing in 1958.


A departing photo from JoshAustin610's flickr collection. Did he know he was in the old Acme's parking lot? Thanks to Gary for bringing the Oxford store to Acme Style!