Big Changes in Philly Area Retail

[nims57]

All this is happening right now:

1. Acme (a chain like A&P, but smaller) is rebuilding their Bryn Mawr PA store which opened in 1956 and has changed not much except for the logo and a Starbucks. A gourmet grocery store called FoodSource was next door but closed after being bought by Ahold (Stop & Shop) a few months ago.

2. The former Acme on Roosevelt in Northeast Philly which relocated to a former Food Fair/Pantry Pride (another A&P-like chain) way back in 1979 was later a "Dugan's" banquet hall for many years, but is now being prepared for Bottom Dollar Food.

3. Giant (Stop & Shop) is excavating a quarry that was condemned over 20 years ago to build a new store in Upper Darby, PA right outside West Philly. This store will sit next to a Kohl's which was a Clover department store much of its life.

4. Whole Foods is putting a store where one of the first modern Genuardi's opened in August 1990, in Glen Mills PA. The Genuardi's was given Starbucks, pharmacy, and local bank departments along with new decor when Safeway bought the chain, but the store was neglected other than that. The place closed last year.

5. Save-a-Lot is moving their old Upper Darby store to an empty Food Fair/Pantry Pride that was later The Fresh Grocer, a local chain supplied by Supervalu. This building still has a 50's look with stained glass... reminds me of the classic Acme buildings.

6. The PLCB (Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board) is putting a new "Fine Wine & Good Spirits" (the chain formerly known as "State Store" and later "Wine & Spirits") in Glen Mills. They put a Wine & Spirits in the FoodSource across the street when it opened in 2004, but couldn't keep it open once the supermarket closed.

7. Exxon is reopening a station they closed over 10 years ago in Glen Mills right in front of a Holiday Inn Express which was a hotel owned by TGI Friday's (I forget the old name) until a few years ago. The other Exxon a mile away was owned by the same franchisee and was empty until 2008 when it was torn down for a CVS.

8. Furnish 123, a furniture chain based in Wilmington DE, is closing their Springfield PA store which is less than a year old due to a lease dispute. This store was part of an A&P that was open from 1955-1980. Then this part was a CVS, then a Golf Augusta Pro Shop, then a local golf store.

9. A group called Spencer Chevrolet has moved into the empty Loughead Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealership in Springfield PA. Loughead moved their inventory from this location to their older Nissan (opened when it was Datsun) plant in Swarthmore PA. There was a Chevy dealership called Rothrock (which also sold Lotus sports cars) across the street. They still have a Nissan/Chrysler dealership in Allentown PA which also used to have Isuzu and Daewoo.

10. Piazza Honda, a small Honda dealership in Upper Darby, is moving to the old Rothrock site. Ironically they used to sell Oldsmobile from a separate showroom and still use this building for service along with new Honda displays and a Hertz rental car office.

11. Dollar Tree is putting a store in the empty CVS in Chester PA which moved over 10 years ago.

12. Chuck E Cheese's is rebuilding their old and run down casino in Springfield PA after buying a couple empty stores next to it.

[EddieJ1984]

13. The old Taco Bell at Roosevelt Blvd and Welsh Rd (had the old logo and all) closed a couple months back, and is now Jake's Wayback Burgers.

14. Ross just recently opened a store in Roosevelt Mall, took over s spot of a number of stores. never been in a ross til now I think its like marshalls, but more junky, thats just me lol)

15. The new Wawa at Tyson Ave and Roosevelt Blvd (former NE Lincoln-Mercury dealsership) seems to be only a month or 2 away from being done. It is replacing the wawa at the end of the same block at Tyson Ave and Brous Ave.

[NJxxJon]

An empty CVS for 10 years sounds RARE! ....