Acme

[acme style]

Check out my Acme Style blog...

http://acmestyleblog.blogspot.com/

Not even a month old now. Alot more to come. Main focus is on closed, abandoned and repurposed Acme Markets. I am most fascinated with the pitched-roof style.

Newest entry has more pics of the Newton store (posted some here already) which is closing on February 25th. I will be heading back out there to get pics after it's closed down and abandoned.

Coming soon... pictures of the dismantling of the Acme in Secaucus NJ. A store that Acme did not want to give up, in fact they were preparing to give the store major upgrades and an extensive remodel. Didn't happen. Now it is a CVS. Details to come on Acme Style!

[videogamer75]

NICE blog!!! Really like the interior pictures of Newton, NJ! :)

[videogamer75]

Bad news. Looks like they are going to knock down the old Egg Harbor City Acme soon. They're going to be putting in some stupid condos in its place. They better do something good with the sign, at least, and not just throw it out. That is really an amazing, historic Acme. It would be better if they simply remodeled the building and tried to lure in a new tenant. We have enough of these housing developments already.

[MikeRa]

Here is a recent picture of the "Village Center" sign in Bensalem, PA.  The old 1980's Acme logo was replaced by the current "Acme Sav-on", the First Union is now a Wachovia (and soon to be Wells Fargo), and the CVS/pharmacy sign is replaced by a generic "Cleaners" sign.

[JarvisTummy]

Does anyone remember when Acme had those kitty carts? They was metal and tiny for kids to push around. I remember our Acme had a few when they first opened up they are gone.

[Mervyns]

Originally posted by DefunctStoreKing
i've always wanted junk food from acme since 1992, junk food is my life.

You should try their mocha cake, or better yet photo cake.

[acme style]

Does anyone know of any Acmes that still have the red oval logo? I think the Newton NJ store is the last one and it's due to close for good in a few days.

[Mervyns]

Originally posted by acme style
Does anyone know of any Acmes that still have the red oval logo? I think the Newton NJ store is the last one and it's due to close for good in a few days.

Not on the building, but the one in Sharon Hill PA has several pylon signs. This store also has a "Thank You for Shopping Acme" sign above the exit with the old logo. Try street view and you can see a modified 50's pylon sign, or the vintage short pylon signs. The current logo has been used since 1995 you know.

A pic of this store:

[acme style]

Thanks Mervyns! Yeah I do see the red oval logo in Live Maps. Surprised to see the updated the logo on the store and not on the street. Looks like the shopping center had an upgrade to the entire facade forcing Acme to replace their sign on the store.

I am also looking for Acmes that still have the 80's remodel package... your mention of the red oval logo inside leads me to believe this one does. Appears to be a very small store from the areal view. Is this a nice store inside or in really bad shape like other Acmes of this era?

Check it out... Acme Style!
http://acmestyleblog.blogspot.com/

[Mervyns]

Originally posted by acme style
Thanks Mervyns! Yeah I do see the red oval logo in Live Maps. Surprised to see the updated the logo on the store and not on the street. Looks like the shopping center had an upgrade to the entire facade forcing Acme to replace their sign on the store.

I am also looking for Acmes that still have the 80's remodel package... your mention of the red oval logo inside leads me to believe this one does. Appears to be a very small store from the areal view. Is this a nice store inside or in really bad shape like other Acmes of this era?

Check it out... Acme Style!
http://acmestyleblog.blogspot.com/
 

Yes, it does have the 80's decor inside, like the one in Berlin. There are some newer touches inside such as the Avenu TV and updated checkout lights.

[Mervyns]

Acme with an odd design and logo. The script logo was phased out by 1963, when they started building this prototype.

The one in Newton looks disgusting.

[acme style]

That Acme in Cape May with the old script logo was not originally built that way. It was the pitched roof with glass front and the fish-eye logo. This store has since been renovated and Acme wanted to have it blend in more with the local style of architecture. They have used this script style logo on a couple of smaller stores in NJ after renovating them. Another example is the Acme in Wildwood NJ. They tore down the small 60's style store and replaced it with one that matched the seaside look of Wildwood. It's nickname is the Do-Woop Acme.

[videogamer75]

I've seen that Acme before, pretty cool place. There's also a nearby Wawa with the same ''doo wop'' style. I have pics of it on Flickr.

[Mervyns]

Why did no Acme stores ever have the early 80's red fish-eye logo? Was Acme in decline around that time, like A&P?

[acme style]

Originally posted by Mervyns
Why did no Acme stores ever have the early 80's red fish-eye logo? Was Acme in decline around that time, like A&P?

Is this the logo you're talking about? From what I remember, Acme updated the logo on their packaging, bags and store uniforms. But since they were not in the process of remodeling their stores at that time they did not update store signage. It never seemed to be Acme's official logo. The logo was then altered to be an oval when Acme started it's 80's remodel. I don't think Acme ever had the problems that A&P had, but the chain began shrinking significantly in the 70's as they wanted to focus mostly on NJ and the Philly markets.

[Mervyns]

Originally posted by acme style

Originally posted by Mervyns
Why did no Acme stores ever have the early 80's red fish-eye logo? Was Acme in decline around that time, like A&P?

Is this the logo you're talking about? From what I remember, Acme updated the logo on their packaging, bags and store uniforms. But since they were not in the process of remodeling their stores at that time they did not update store signage. It never seemed to be Acme's official logo. The logo was then altered to be an oval when Acme started it's 80's remodel. I don't think Acme ever had the problems that A&P had, but the chain began shrinking significantly in the 70's as they wanted to focus mostly on NJ and the Philly markets.

Yes. This logo did not seem to last long. I think they started using it in 1979, but it was gone by 1986. The logo before that lasted from the early 60's to the late 70's, and the red oval lasted from 1986-1995 or so.

[Mervyns]

The Philadelphia Inquirer (which is now bankrupt) ran a story on Acme today and their new division president, and had some photos of the newly remodeled Acme in Paoli, PA.

[acme style]

Thanks Mervyns for the info. No wonder that newspaper is bankrupt, that interview was pathetic. I was hoping for the big question... how is Acme planning to survive with low-priced Giant and mega-sized Wegmans rapidly moving into their market?

[Mervyns]

Originally posted by acme style
Thanks Mervyns for the info. No wonder that newspaper is bankrupt, that interview was pathetic. I was hoping for the big question... how is Acme planning to survive with low-priced Giant and mega-sized Wegmans rapidly moving into their market?



 

Acme has survived Giant's competition for a long time, and Wegmans is not cheap. I hope the Inquirer stays bankrupt.

[store215]

Originally posted by Mervyns

Originally posted by acme style
Thanks Mervyns for the info. No wonder that newspaper is bankrupt, that interview was pathetic. I was hoping for the big question... how is Acme planning to survive with low-priced Giant and mega-sized Wegmans rapidly moving into their market?



 

Acme has survived Giant's competition for a long time, and Wegmans is not cheap. I hope the Inquirer stays bankrupt.

Wegmans is WAY cheaper than Acme on basic grocery items (eggs, flour, soups, etc.)...I work at one. The meats and other stuff are more expensive, but even those things are still fairly competitive. Most people are surprised when they come in and actually spend LESS than Acme/Genuardi's/Shop Rite/Giant

[acme style]

I think this is the only Acme to still have the old 60's sign. Maybe there are others out there but I certainly don't know of any. Looks like this one has been restored. More pics at Acme Style.

[nims57]

Former Acme in Quakertown, PA. This one was built in 1998 under American Stores ownership and closed in 2007. It relocated from a Super Saver across the street which was torn down for a Kohl's.

[acme style]

Originally posted by nims57
Former Acme in Quakertown, PA. This one was built in 1998 under American Stores ownership and closed in 2007. It relocated from a Super Saver across the street which was torn down for a Kohl's.

nims57, do you know if this store still vacant? I read Walmart was supposedly eyeing it up long before Acme shut down but can't find any info on what happened.

[store215]

Originally posted by acme style

Originally posted by nims57
Former Acme in Quakertown, PA. This one was built in 1998 under American Stores ownership and closed in 2007. It relocated from a Super Saver across the street which was torn down for a Kohl's.

nims57, do you know if this store still vacant? I read Walmart was supposedly eyeing it up long before Acme shut down but can't find any info on what happened.  

Walmart is expanding to a supercenter..except not into the Acme space. Acme(Supervalu) still holds the lease.

[acme style]

I found an old pitched-roof Acme at 63 N. Union Ave in Landsdowne. It's now a Sav-a-lot but I did find a picture of it online when it was still an Acme. Had the red oval logo which, most likely, would have been added on during the 80's remodel. Checking out this store on Live Maps, I see that a replacement store was built on the other half of the block on Baltimore Pike. It is closed and abandoned which has me thinking it had a relatively short life. Hard to tell but it looks like it had the red oval logo and then was upgraded to the new '95 logo. Just wondering if anyone knows anything about these two stores. Thanks!

[acme style]

Originally posted by acme style
I found an old pitched-roof Acme at 63 N. Union Ave in Landsdowne. It's now a Sav-a-lot but I did find a picture of it online when it was still an Acme. Had the red oval logo which, most likely, would have been added on during the 80's remodel. Checking out this store on Live Maps, I see that a replacement store was built on the other half of the block on Baltimore Pike. It is closed and abandoned which has me thinking it had a relatively short life. Hard to tell but it looks like it had the red oval logo and then was upgraded to the new '95 logo. Just wondering if anyone knows anything about these two stores. Thanks!

Ah! Now I see that Giant built a huge store right across the street on Baltimore Pike. Must have done in good ol' Acme with their lower prices.

[nims57]

Originally posted by acme style
I found an old pitched-roof Acme at 63 N. Union Ave in Landsdowne. It's now a Sav-a-lot but I did find a picture of it online when it was still an Acme. Had the red oval logo which, most likely, would have been added on during the 80's remodel. Checking out this store on Live Maps, I see that a replacement store was built on the other half of the block on Baltimore Pike. It is closed and abandoned which has me thinking it had a relatively short life. Hard to tell but it looks like it had the red oval logo and then was upgraded to the new '95 logo. Just wondering if anyone knows anything about these two stores. Thanks!

What replacement store? You mean the Super Fresh? That was a Super Fresh which has been abandoned since April 2002, when A&P (and Albertsons) were closing stores. The Super Fresh itself relocated from an early 50's A&P on Lansdowne Avenue. The Acme never closed until 2005. I thought the Super Fresh was an Acme too until I found the one around the corner.

By the way, the town is LANSDOWNE, not LANDSDOWNE.

The Super Fresh:

[acme style]

Thanks for the info Nims57. While I was researching the Acme online it came up several times with a Baltimore Pike street address, that's why I thought the Superfresh was a replacement Acme. Very similar facade.

[acme style]

Princeton Junction Acme is closing on May 7th. Another old Acme bites the dust. It will be featured over on my blog when it is dark and abandoned in a few weeks.

[MikeRa]

Originally posted by nims57
The Oxford, PA Acme. This is the only former Acme Super Saver still open that I know of.

There are two other Acme Super Saver stores that are open as well.  they are:

[list=1]

• Roosevelt boulevard & Harbison Avenue, Philadelphia
• Bristol Pike (US 13) and Woodhaven Road (PA 63), Bensalem.  This Acme super Saver was one of the original 3 anchors at Woodhaven Mall (now Home Depot Plaza), the other two were Gaudio's and Woolco.  The 2 sub anchors were Rite Aid Pharmacy and AMC Woodhaven Mall 4 Theatres (now AMC Woodhaven 10 Theatres)
  [/list=1]