Recent photos

[XISMZERO]

I took a trip and redocumented this fascinating location after being inspired by Fontaine's visit. Can we safely say this is the oldest Ames remaining?

Anyway, I enjoy getting to some of the more offbeat Ames stores and when you go, you've got a genuine memory of what it was like to experience and photograph it yourself.

The link to the gallery in located within my signature. I also give full permission for use on the Ames Fan Club photo gallery. Enjoy!

[greg8370]

outstanding pics!!!!!

[jbarn02]

[greg8370]

what a great idea!

[jbarn02]

[jbarn02]

[XISMZERO]

That does seem like a good idea but I'm sure if you agreed to take all that stuff from the inside you'd have to haul it all away. It'd be nice to pick and choose but that seems a tad improbable. To tell you the truth, I'd really just settle for an indoor photo shoot. As I've stated, it's fascinating how much stuff they just left in there.

[C. Fontaine]

Nice pictures!!!  Will definitely add to the locator!

[XISMZERO]

Excellent! Do you want me to send the raw pictures/zip file to you? I'd also apprechiate my commentary added with the pics :)

[C. Fontaine]

Sure!  My email is c.fontaine@charter.net.  If you want you can send over your Rocky Hill and Planagram pics and commentaries too and I will gladly post them as well!  Thanks again!

[beachgal26]

Hi!  I am having difficulty in opening up the files.  Do you have any ideas?

[XISMZERO]

Upon my trip to the Big E recently, I dropped by some former Ames stores in Agawam. For the record, there were two here; one on Suffield Street (recently unexplored by the Ames Fan Club) which is now a Flea Market, and the other which I stole a receiving sign from on Springfield Street. Pictures and stuff on my website; go check it out!

http://thecaldorrainbow.blogspot.com/

[beachgal26]

Wow!  Thanks so much for your diligent look at all old KMart and Ames stores in the New England area.  It only makes me wish that I had any photos of the Zayre, Ames and KMarts that I used to shop at while we lived in FL and MD.  Who would have thought that those stores would ever be gone....

:hurt:  :hurt:  :hurt:  :hurt:

[XISMZERO]

Update: June 11, 2007.

Let me begin by clearing something up: Agawam had two Ames stores at one point.

The first and original store was on SUFFIELD STREET (Rt. 75) and the other one was on SPRINGFIELD STREET (Rt. 159) located roughly 5 minutes away from each other. I decided to investigate after seeing two stores on the store locator but not much info regarding the Suffield St. location.

When Ames acquired Zayre, they branded the former Zayre on Springfield Street which became Ames. Any seasoned AFC vet knows this was a Zayre. I believe they shuttered the Suffield Street location shortly after realizing Springfield Street was a better deal. After the acquisition, Suffield St. was vacant for a long time. It has since become "JR's Flea Market" recently (within the last few years if my facts are straight).

It might be difficult to grab interior pictures here since they're only open on Saturday and Sunday. I did however, when I visited the Big E last year and to my surprise, they didn't change much inside with giant red "A" decals all over the walls!

Furthermore, Springfield Street is still vacant, banking on almost a decade I believe.

[XISMZERO]

Update: June 11, 2007.

Scaffold at the Suffield Street location. I wonder what this Ames looked like in its prime. I'm betting it wasn't much different than it looks now.

[XISMZERO]

Update: June 11, 2007. This picture was taken on September 16, 2006.

Interior of the Suffield Street location. I've never seen these giant "A" decals in any of my mostly green Ames stores before. These are old-school.

[XISMZERO]

Update: June 11, 2007.

Here's the Springfield Street location. This store has quite the history! It probably opened in the 1960s, as Zayre. When I first came here, inspired by Chris's trip, I noticed the paneling on the walls.

When I returned in September for an update, the paneling was gone, revealing the signature Zayre stripes.

Upon my third trip today, the wood paneling which covers the showroom windows Zayre had have revealed themselves!

This store remains to be my favorite of the rotting away Ames corpses left. It's either because it's got so much vintage flair and the quintessential Zayre model or simply because there's so many options of angles to take this store at. Did I mention the entire plaza next to it abadoned and the place is overgrown to the gills?!

This is also where I stole my first receiving sign...

[XISMZERO]

Update: June 11, 2007.

I think I also have a long time history with this store. We used to walk by this Ames when we went to the Big E as a young kid. Actually, I never even noticed it then. The Big E is no more than 1 minute away from this store.

One of the only Ames I remember with such an old road sign.

[C. Fontaine]

Unfortunately, many of the stores in the locator that were shuttered prior to around 1996 or so do not have much info.  The store locator is compiled from the last few databases from Ames's previous websites, and a few lists sent to me by former employees.  So any stores that closed prior to 1996 I do not have records for, and the few I do have come from peoples reccolection and/or phone records (thus no store #'s etc..).  I have always hoped that someday someone in posession of a full store list would visit the site and offer it up, but no such luck yet.  I'm not even sure if there was ever at one point a full list, considering stores were constantly being opened and closed, like any other company.  I know at one point, mainly during the Zayre acquisition there were over 850 stores!

[XISMZERO]

Update: 3/2/2008. Still vacant, but it seems there might be *something* happening here.

If anyone remembers this site, you'd know it's located in an entirely vacant shopping center. Well, there's an inkling of progress here: there's now a Steve & Berry's making it's way. The rest of the place is same as ever: dead.

[beachgal26]

Wow!  It looks so "old school" with the brown exterior.  Too bad that it will be flipped to become something new with very little character.

[C. Fontaine]

New pictures!

http://www.amesfanclub.com/archive/main.php/v/ames/stores/MA/agawam/151+Springfield+St/013109/

[jmcnamara96]

no i always wanted to see that store and out back i saw a ames cart that was red you should of got

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by C. Fontaine
New pictures!

http://www.amesfanclub.com/archive/main.php/v/ames/stores/MA/agawam/151+Springfield+St/013109/

The Agawam store was a favorite of mine.

It's nice to see it live on. I remember reading Dave's Pet City wanting to move in years ago but complications regarding the plaza owners forbid them moving in. Cool interior shots... almost looks like you got permission to shoot in the store. Can't tell you how many a time I looked inside, wanted to go in when it was closed up.

Odd how that road sign remains a relic of time, unchanged. I wonder if it's on the chopping block...

Here's the receiving sign I jacked from the store in March 2006.

[jmcnamara96]

cool