Locations of Ames Stores with Red Signs

108CAM · January 24, 2023, 01:30:50 AM

I'm starting the long task of building a list of all the Ames stores that had roadside or storefront signs with the old red coloured lettering. This list will be expanded over time as information and photos are uploaded.

Below is the current list of stores that I know had red signs at some point in their life.

> #0208 - Seabrook, NH - Roadside and Storefront, Both signs use a newer variant of the Ames logo with thicker letters. Roadside sign removed sometime in 2018 when the Seabrook Plaza sign was repainted and the Market Basket replaced it's signs. Storefront sign is still intact as of October 2023 but has been suffering from severe degradation throughout the past few years. Part of the M has fallen off and the sign is slowly turning orange.
Store is still abandoned and may be the last remaining example of an Ames with Red letters on the storefront. A photo of this store is featured on the Ames Fan Club Homepage. Former King's.
> #0413 - Agawam, MA - Roadside, Ames logo is an older version with narrower letters. Removed sometime after 2007 however the original metal sign structure was re-used by the new tenants. Storefront had a White sign.
> #0079 - Collins, NY - Roadside, Ames logo is an older version with narrower letters. Removed in late 2020, metal sign structure retained and refurbished by Big Lots which opened in early 2021. From 2007 until 2020, a very vivid labelscar from the original red sign on the storefront was visible. The old shingled front with the scar was replaced when Big Lots refurbished the building.
> #0313 - Coal Township (Shamokin), PA - Red roadside sign. Roadside Ames logo has the newer variant of the Cheltenham Italic logo. Still intact today and has suffered very little damage which is surprising. Storefront had a Green sign at closure which has been removed. There was also an abandoned Kmart just up the road.
> #0002 - St. Johnsburys, VT - Storefront, Ames logo is inverted with white letters on a red background. This sign is almost completely sunbleached. More recently, the sign has suffered from very serious degradation and is slowly falling apart, revealing a 1950's Ames sign that was hidden away for many decades.
> #2116 - Turnpike Mall, Augusta ME - Red sign above mall entrance. Sign removed and entrance sealed when Bed Bath & Beyond opened in the former Ames. External entrance had White letters. Former Zayre.
> #0435 - Glenmont Plaza, Glenmont NY - Red storefront sign, also had some trash cans with red Ames logos. The front of this store can be seen in a YouTube video of the final voicemail sent out from Rocky Hill
> #0331 - Palatine Bridge, NY - Red storefront sign, Red sign replaced with a white one prior to closure.
> #0356 - Granville, NY - Red sign on rear side of building. Storefront had White letters while the road sign was Green & White. Now a Big Lots.
> #2157 - South Attleboro, MA - Red store & road signs. Now a Burlington Coat Factory. Found this featured as a Random Image while browsing the Wayback Machine archives of the Store Locator.
> #0255 - Palmer, MA - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign. Now an Ocean State Job Lot
> #0049 - Derry, NH - Red storefront sign. Not sure what the road had.
> #0061 - River Mall, Baldwinsville, NY - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign.
> #0302 - University Mall, Canton, NY - Red store sign, not sure what the road had.
> #0354 - Carthage, NY - Red road sign. Storefront had White letters. Road sign painted black after closure, removed sometime between 2013 & 2018.
> #0410 - Oberlin, OH - Red road sign with early variant of ITC Cheltenham logo. Storefront had White letters.
> #2216 - Belknap Mall , Belmont, NH - Red storefront sign. Former Zayre.
> #0969 - Leesport Distribution Centre, Red sign on side of building.
> #0077 - Oxford, ME - Red road sign, removed sometime between 2007 & 2009 when Ocean State Job Lot opened a store in the former Ames.
Sign structure was rebuilt sometime between 2018 & 2023 due to age. The original posts were reused for the new sign. Not sure what the storefront had.
> #0280 - Wells, ME - Red road sign & White storefront sign. Both removed sometime between 2004 & 2008. Road sign had the older narrow letter version of the Ames ITC Cheltenham logo. Store is now a location of Maine based department store chain Reny's.
> #2172 - Rumford, ME - Red storefront and road signs. Road sign remained in place as late as 2005 but was removed when the plaza got redeveloped. Former Zayre.

The following stores had Red signs but were closed prior to the introduction of Green signs which they never received.
> #0291 - Wauseon, OH
> #0605 - Defiance, OH (Northtowne Mall)
> #0588 - Bryan, OH
> #0594 - Galion, OH
> #0580 - Hillsdale, MI
> #0414 - Imlay City, MI
> #0404 - Howell, MI
> #0579 - Sturgis, MI
> #0389 - Caro, MI
> #0401 - Cedar Springs, MI
> #0393 - Plainwell, MI
> #0396 - Three Rivers, MI
> #0430 - Houghton Lake, MI
> #0426 - Big Rapids, MI
> #0206 - Claremont, NH

108CAM · January 30, 2023, 01:43:12 AM

Below the list of known Red Sign locations are pictures of stores with red signs that I don't know the location of.
Any help with identifying these stores is greatly appreciated! Also when replying, remember to quote the image that you are referring to so I know which reply is for which store as this thread is being constantly expanded when new images are found!

108CAM · February 02, 2023, 02:18:33 AM

Got another unknown Red Sign Ames. This is the store that appears at the beginning of the YT video that accompanies the final voicemail message.

Edit: This is the Glenmont NY store. Found it's location shortly after posting this image.

108CAM · February 02, 2023, 02:50:55 AM

Next unknown Red Sign Ames is in a photo used for a news article on the rumoured re-opening of Ames in Pennsylvania.

Retail Regents · February 02, 2023, 09:45:18 AM

Aerial view of #0331 in Palatine Bridge. Would later get a white sign before closing.

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TheFugitive · February 02, 2023, 03:17:45 PM

All of the Ames stores at which I worked (Wauseon, Ohio, Hillsdale, Michigan and Imlay City, Michigan) had red signs. All closed as a result of the first bankruptcy and were not around to be converted to green signs. I had a friend who worked at the store in Bryan, Ohio, and I had been to the one located in the mall at Defiance, Ohio which were the same story.

108CAM · February 07, 2023, 09:26:21 PM

Quote from: 108CAM on January 24, 2023, 01:30:50 AMI'm starting the long task of building a list of all the Ames stores that had roadside or storefront signs with the old red coloured lettering. This list will be expanded over time as information and photos are uploaded.

Below is the current list of stores that I know had red signs at some point in their life.

> #0413 - Agawam, MA - Roadside, Ames logo is an older version with narrower letters. Removed sometime after 2007 however the original metal sign structure was re-used by the new tenants. Storefront had a White sign.
> #0079 - Collins, NY - Roadside, Ames logo is an older version with narrower letters. Removed in late 2020, metal sign structure retained and refurbished by Big Lots which opened in early 2021. From 2007 until 2020, a very vivid labelscar from the original red sign on the storefront was visible. The old shingled front with the scar was replaced when Big Lots refurbished the building.
> #0208 - Seabrook, NH - Roadside and Storefront, Both signs use a newer variant of the Ames logo with thicker letters. Roadside sign removed sometime in 2018 when the Seabrook Plaza sign was repainted and the Market Basket replaced it's signs. Storefront sign is still intact as of September 2019 but has been suffering from severe degradation throughout the past few years. Part of the M has fallen off and the sign is slowly turning orange.
> #0313 - Coal Township (Shamokin), PA - Red roadside sign. Roadside Ames logo has the newer variant of the Cheltenham Italic logo. Still intact today and has suffered very little damage which is surprising. Storefront had a Green sign at closure which has been removed. There was also an abandoned Kmart just up the road.
> #???? - St. Johnsburys, VT - Storefront, Ames logo is inverted with white letters on a red background. This sign is almost completely sunbleached. More recently, the sign has suffered from very serious degradation and is slowly falling apart, revealing a 1950's Ames sign that was hidden away for many decades.
> #2116 - Turnpike Mall, Augusta ME - Red sign above mall entrance. Sign removed and entrance sealed when Bed Bath & Beyond opened in the former Ames. External entrance had White letters. Former Zayre.
> #0435 - Glenmont Plaza, Glenmont NY - Red storefront sign, also had some trash cans with red Ames logos. The front of this store can be seen in a YouTube video of the final voicemail sent out from Rocky Hill
> #0331 - Palatine Bridge, NY - Red storefront sign, Red sign replaced with a white one prior to closure.
> #0356 - Granville, NY - Red sign on rear side of building. Storefront had White letters while the road sign was Green & White. Now a Big Lots.
> #2157 - South Attleboro, MA - Red store & road signs. Now a Burlington Coat Factory. Found this featured as a Random Image while browsing the Wayback Machine archives of the Store Locator.
> #0255 - Palmer, MA - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign. Now an Ocean State Job Lot
> #0049 - Derry, NH - Red storefront sign. Not sure what the road had.
> #0061 - River Mall, Baldwinsville, NY - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign.
> #0302 - University Mall, Canton, NY - Red store sign, not sure what the road had.
> #0354 - Red road sign. Storefront had White letters. Road sign painted black after closure, removed sometime between 2012 & 2018.
> #0069 - Medina, NY - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign with a bold text variant of the ITC Cheltenham logo.
Both signs removed sometime after 2007. Judging by the facade, this store may have been a W. T. Grant's before it was an Ames
> #0326 - Norwich, NY, Red storefront sign. Not sure what the road had.
> #0310 - Oneonta, NY, Red storefront sign, later replaced with a Green sign. Photos of this store with both signs are available on the Wayback Machine archives of the Store Locator & Image Gallery.
> #0283 - Abington, MA, Red road sign. Store had White letters. Entire plaza demolished, now a Lowes.
> #0969 - Leesport Distribution Centre, Leesport, PA - Red Ames sign on side of building.
> #0434 - Reading, PA - Not sure where the sign was but an archived comment on the Store Locator listing for Ames #0434 says it had Red signage. Can't find a photo but the store number suggests it had a red sign because the next store in the chain, #0435, also had Red signage.

The following stores had Red signs but were closed during the 1990 bankruptcy and never received Green signs.
> #0291 - Wauseon, Ohio
> #0605 - Defiance, Ohio (Northtowne Mall)
> #0588 - Bryan, Ohio
> #0580 - Hillsdale, Michigan
> #0414 - Imlay City, Michigan
> #0594 - Galion, Ohio

108CAM · February 12, 2023, 02:58:55 AM

Got a few more Red Sign stores that I don't know the location of.
Found the photos in an Ames training video.

TheFugitive · February 12, 2023, 04:01:35 PM

Quote from: 108CAM on February 07, 2023, 09:26:21 PM
Quote from: 108CAM on January 24, 2023, 01:30:50 AMI'm starting the long task of building a list of all the Ames stores that had roadside or storefront signs with the old red coloured lettering. This list will be expanded over time as information and photos are uploaded.

Below is the current list of stores that I know had red signs at some point in their life.

> #0413 - Agawam, MA - Roadside, Ames logo is an older version with narrower letters. Removed sometime after 2007 however the original metal sign structure was re-used by the new tenants. Storefront had a White sign.
> #0079 - Collins, NY - Roadside, Ames logo is an older version with narrower letters. Removed in late 2020, metal sign structure retained and refurbished by Big Lots which opened in early 2021. From 2007 until 2020, a very vivid labelscar from the original red sign on the storefront was visible. The old shingled front with the scar was replaced when Big Lots refurbished the building.
> #0208 - Seabrook, NH - Roadside and Storefront, Both signs use a newer variant of the Ames logo with thicker letters. Roadside sign removed sometime in 2018 when the Seabrook Plaza sign was repainted and the Market Basket replaced it's signs. Storefront sign is still intact as of September 2019 but has been suffering from severe degradation throughout the past few years. Part of the M has fallen off and the sign is slowly turning orange.
> #0313 - Coal Township (Shamokin), PA - Red roadside sign. Roadside Ames logo has the newer variant of the Cheltenham Italic logo. Still intact today and has suffered very little damage which is surprising. Storefront had a Green sign at closure which has been removed. There was also an abandoned Kmart just up the road.
> #???? - St. Johnsburys, VT - Storefront, Ames logo is inverted with white letters on a red background. This sign is almost completely sunbleached. More recently, the sign has suffered from very serious degradation and is slowly falling apart, revealing a 1950's Ames sign that was hidden away for many decades.
> #2116 - Turnpike Mall, Augusta ME - Red sign above mall entrance. Sign removed and entrance sealed when Bed Bath & Beyond opened in the former Ames. External entrance had White letters. Former Zayre.
> #0435 - Glenmont Plaza, Glenmont NY - Red storefront sign, also had some trash cans with red Ames logos. The front of this store can be seen in a YouTube video of the final voicemail sent out from Rocky Hill
> #0331 - Palatine Bridge, NY - Red storefront sign, Red sign replaced with a white one prior to closure.
> #0356 - Granville, NY - Red sign on rear side of building. Storefront had White letters while the road sign was Green & White. Now a Big Lots.
> #2157 - South Attleboro, MA - Red store & road signs. Now a Burlington Coat Factory. Found this featured as a Random Image while browsing the Wayback Machine archives of the Store Locator.
> #0255 - Palmer, MA - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign. Now an Ocean State Job Lot
> #0049 - Derry, NH - Red storefront sign. Not sure what the road had.
> #0061 - River Mall, Baldwinsville, NY - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign.
> #0302 - University Mall, Canton, NY - Red store sign, not sure what the road had.
> #0354 - Red road sign. Storefront had White letters. Road sign painted black after closure, removed sometime between 2012 & 2018.
> #0069 - Medina, NY - Red road sign. Storefront had a Green sign with a bold text variant of the ITC Cheltenham logo.
Both signs removed sometime after 2007. Judging by the facade, this store may have been a W. T. Grant's before it was an Ames
> #0326 - Norwich, NY, Red storefront sign. Not sure what the road had.
> #0310 - Oneonta, NY, Red storefront sign, later replaced with a Green sign. Photos of this store with both signs are available on the Wayback Machine archives of the Store Locator & Image Gallery.
> #0283 - Abington, MA, Red road sign. Store had White letters. Entire plaza demolished, now a Lowes.
> #0969 - Leesport Distribution Centre, Leesport, PA - Red Ames sign on side of building.
> #0434 - Reading, PA - Not sure where the sign was but an archived comment on the Store Locator listing for Ames #0434 says it had Red signage. Can't find a photo but the store number suggests it had a red sign because the next store in the chain, #0435, also had Red signage.

The following stores had Red signs but were closed during the 1990 bankruptcy and never received Green signs.
> #0291 - Wauseon, Ohio
> #0605 - Defiance, Ohio (Northtowne Mall)
> #0588 - Bryan, Ohio
> #0580 - Hillsdale, Michigan
> #0414 - Imlay City, Michigan
> #0594 - Galion, Ohio

You can add the other Ames stores in Michigan which all opened and then closed in rough time approximation with Imlay City. Those would be Howell, Caro, Chelsea, Cedar Springs, Plainwell, Three Rivers, Houghton Lake, Big Rapids. The Ames in Sturgis also closed around this time. It was an old Murphy Mart like Hillsdale and would have had the red signs.

108CAM · February 12, 2023, 05:58:07 PM

Quote from: TheFugitive on February 12, 2023, 04:01:35 PMYou can add the other Ames stores in Michigan which all opened and then closed in rough time approximation with Imlay City. Those would be Howell, Caro, Chelsea, Cedar Springs, Plainwell, Three Rivers, Houghton Lake, Big Rapids. The Ames in Sturgis also closed around this time. It was an old Murphy Mart like Hillsdale and would have had the red signs.

Thanks. I'll get them added to the list.