Ocean State Job Lot

[Everything Community]

Here's the current Ocean State Job Lot in Waterford, CT that was formerly occupied by the Big Y World Class Market! It was opened in August 2002, moved out in early 2008. It became the current OSJL in spring 2009. Very weird that OSJL chose that store so that there wouldn't have to do any remodels once they took over this store. Here are our pics from our visit earlier this year!

For more information about the former Big Y, here is the link:
https://brandsrusblog.blogspot.com/2018/01/big-y-waterford-ct.html

[Bdubs]

Here's the current Ocean State Job Lot in Waterford, CT that was formerly occupied by the Big Y World Class Market! It was opened in August 2002, moved out in early 2008. It became the current OSJL in spring 2009. Very weird that OSJL chose that store so that there wouldn't have to do any remodels once they took over this store. Here are our pics from our visit earlier this year!

For more information about the former Big Y, here is the link:
https://brandsrusblog.blogspot.com/2018/01/big-y-waterford-ct.html

This was a Shaw’s for a very short time. The biggest problem was, this store was originally planned to be placed closer to the road, but Stop & Shop had something to do with fighting that somehow. Shaw’s decided to build anyway, and if you aren’t familiar with this area, the store is down in a hole. You can barely see the top of the roof from the road. Terrible location.
Big Y thought they could make it work, but that store struggled for the entire time it was open.
OSJL seems to be doing ok there, but it’s a big building, they didn’t take the whole thing, just about 3/4 of it. The other 1/4 has been for lease since Big Y left.

[Retail Regents]

I swear, Ocean State Job Lot will re-use just about ANY retailer's carts! They're quite selective on which ones get maimed (A.K.A. original retailer's logo getting scratched out) and which ones still have intact logos. See some examples here:

http://retailregents.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-ocean-state-job-lot-cart-collection.html

[Bdubs]

I swear, Ocean State Job Lot will re-use just about ANY retailer's carts! They're quite selective on which ones get maimed (A.K.A. original retailer's logo getting scratched out) and which ones still have intact logos. See some examples here:

http://retailregents.blogspot.com/2019/03/the-ocean-state-job-lot-cart-collection.html

The OSJL In Griswold CT recently got a fleet of the old, frickin stuffty, previous generation WalMart cart. The ones where all the wheels thunk and are bent from cars hitting them. Those were the worst when WalMart had them, hard to believe they survived the scrap yard.

[Retail Regents]

I swear, they're worse than Ollie's when it comes to the carts they get! I'm surprised they haven't managed to get a hold of any plastic Kmart carts! And I take it the WalMart carts are metal?

[retailisking]

Could OSJL come to the former Auburn, Maine Kmart? Maybe...
https://www.sunjournal.com/2019/12/20/whats-going-to-move-into-the-auburn-kmart-building/

[Zayre88]

This would be an easy fit. They just did that at the former Rochester NH Kmart.

I would have thought that they would have picked up the former Kmart in Waterville too. Augusta and Auburn already have a Big Lots so Waterville could have been a target for OSJL.

Could OSJL come to the former Auburn, Maine Kmart? Maybe...
https://www.sunjournal.com/2019/12/20/whats-going-to-move-into-the-auburn-kmart-building/

[AmesNewington]

It is speculated that Job Lot will be opening in the former Kmart in Vernon (295 Hartford Turnpike). The Manchester Scoop, a local blog about business news in the Manchester area, says that work is being done inside the building and that a lease had been recently signed. At least they will probably not change a whole lot about the appearance of the building. Just an interior refresh.

[Everything Community]

Oh my, another OSJL coming to a Kmart store (just like the Torrington, CT store did just a few years back). That's my hometown Kmart!

[AmesNewington]

Oh my, another OSJL coming to a Kmart store (just like the Torrington, CT store did just a few years back). That's my hometown Kmart!

I'm sure it will feel like walking back in to Kmart. They will probably keep the original canopy like the one in Torrington and change the doors.

[JimSawhill]

It is speculated that Job Lot will be opening in the former Kmart in Vernon (295 Hartford Turnpike). The Manchester Scoop, a local blog about business news in the Manchester area, says that work is being done inside the building and that a lease had been recently signed. At least they will probably not change a whole lot about the appearance of the building. Just an interior refresh.

The OSJL in Manchester is in a old First National/Edwards. Last time I was there (15 years ago) it looked like it was Edwards.

[Everything Community]

Oh my, another OSJL coming to a Kmart store (just like the Torrington, CT store did just a few years back). That's my hometown Kmart!

I'm sure it will feel like walking back in to Kmart. They will probably keep the original canopy like the one in Torrington and change the doors.

Here's the link of that vacant Kmart being filled by a new tenant (didn't claim if OSJL would be going into that site but I believe that is real it may become an OSJL here):
https://www.journalinquirer.com/towns/vernon/new-tenant-to-fill-half-of-empty-vernon-kmart-store/article_19c3932e-6dee-11ea-b4fc-535aa2f55cee.html#utm_campaign=blox&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

[scottw73]

My guess is that it will be Ollies, they usually only take 1/2 of their spaces.

[BillyGr]

Given the size listed (80,000 Square Feet), it would be interesting if they could get both to take halves and split the space!

Not sure I've seen it happen anywhere (yet), but with these types of stores it could actually make sense - while they are technically competing stores, since much of their merchandise comes from buy outs and closeouts, they will more often than not have different things to offer.  So, by having two side by side you would draw customers from a larger area, figuring it makes sense to go there and if one store doesn't have what they are looking for, the other might.

[Everything Community]

Rumors might just have been confirmed! I'm looking forward for OSJL to open in the former much-missed Kmart in Vernon, CT!

Link:
https://patch.com/connecticut/vernon/ocean-state-job-lot-eyeing-major-vernon-vacancy?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_term=business&utm_campaign=autopost&utm_content=vernon&fbclid=IwAR3JEicfpwQJQJ1VuRY2KzN89m1qHi5EFCeVRU7nn-qvbfKQ8bFVC1sHM3k

[AmesNewington]

Rumors might just have been confirmed! I'm looking forward for OSJL to open in the former much-missed Kmart in Vernon, CT!

Link:
https://patch.com/connecticut/vernon/ocean-state-job-lot-eyeing-major-vernon-vacancy?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_term=business&utm_campaign=autopost&utm_content=vernon&fbclid=IwAR3JEicfpwQJQJ1VuRY2KzN89m1qHi5EFCeVRU7nn-qvbfKQ8bFVC1sHM3k

I have 2 Job Lots close to me, but will make a plan to visit the new Vernon one later this year the same time I visit the new ShopRite. Was supposed to visit SR this month, but of course that fell through. With OSJL taking half of Kmart, I wonder what the other half will become later on?

[buzz86us]

i'm admittedly not a huge fan of OSJL.. their prices aren't very good for being a supposed closeout store

[Everything Community]

Ocean State Job Lot - Vernon, Connecticut
This store opened August 27, 2020. It is situated inside the former Kmart building in Vernon, Connecticut. It is across the street from the Super Stop & Shop.
This OSJL just took over 1/3 of its space leftover by what was once America's favorite store back in the 1970s-80s. The other 2/3 remains vacant and no tenants have taken over yet.
The nostalgic artifacts of Kmart remain in place at the new OSJL, apparently the other 2/3 of that space have been walled off.
Many of the local shoppers in town were excited with their delight to check out the brand new store. They were very pleased what they had to offer like all other OSJLs all over.
For those of you who don't know well (outside the Northeast), Ocean State Job Lot (abbreviated OSJL) is the closeout / discount store that is found all across the Northeast (expanding as further as Pennsylvania).
On the other hand, when Kmart was located in that very building, it was open for over 44 years. Kmart closed down more than a year and a half ago (closed March 3, 2019). Kmart originally opened on February 27, 1975.
That building was vacant for over a year when OSJL announced that they would be taking over that very building. The news were confirmed in late March of 2020. Starting in April, they started work on the building. Over time, they dismantled most, if not all of the building + other exterior signs (BIG Kmart logo, complete Kmart awning & road signs). The doors leftover by Kmart remain intact. These Kmart artifacts all remained post-closing.
It took almost no time to complete the partial transformation of the building itself. The interior at the new OSJL doesn't have much to be described about the former Kmart self however, it still looks a little Kmart-ish. The Kmart air vents remain in place, so as well the ceiling. They also kept many of the carts leftover by Kmart.

[Everything Community]

Ocean State Job Lot to move to former Best Buy in Enfield, CT
https://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/ocean-state-job-lot-to-move-to-former-best-buy-in-enfield

[Retail Regents]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

[BillyGr]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

[Retail Regents]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

What kind of carts did Valatie get? I've been documenting the various carts that have come and gone for the past six years at various locations in the Capital Region, and I have plenty of pictures over here:

https://rrcarts.blogspot.com/2020/03/vultures-worst-of-ocean-state-job-lot.html

[BillyGr]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

What kind of carts did Valatie get? I've been documenting the various carts that have come and gone for the past six years at various locations in the Capital Region, and I have plenty of pictures over here:

https://rrcarts.blogspot.com/2020/03/vultures-worst-of-ocean-state-job-lot.html

I'd say some version(s) of the Walmart metal ones - as I saw them, there was a variation with the blue vs. grey seats.  Just about all looked to be the same size after all, maybe 2 or so that were a little smaller (could be a couple that they kept from their prior mix & match of carts as well).

The green GU you show in the Schenectady batch is definitely what the ones that wound up in Albany are, and I'd suspect that they all came from Valatie originally (as GU had a fairly large spot for carts given the size of the store and being the only store in town).  Might even be some that made it to other stores as well. 

Also given that this GU closed well after the chain as a whole (only when Hannaford opened in town), much of the store fixtures were left intact (not sold like they were with the stores closed in bankruptcy), so they probably got some of the existing shelving in the store as part of the location as well (obviously had to add racks for clothing, given that GU didn't sell that, and not sure what happened to stuff like freezers, coolers, produce etc.).

[Retail Regents]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

What kind of carts did Valatie get? I've been documenting the various carts that have come and gone for the past six years at various locations in the Capital Region, and I have plenty of pictures over here:

https://rrcarts.blogspot.com/2020/03/vultures-worst-of-ocean-state-job-lot.html

I'd say some version(s) of the Walmart metal ones - as I saw them, there was a variation with the blue vs. grey seats.  Just about all looked to be the same size after all, maybe 2 or so that were a little smaller (could be a couple that they kept from their prior mix & match of carts as well).

The green GU you show in the Schenectady batch is definitely what the ones that wound up in Albany are, and I'd suspect that they all came from Valatie originally (as GU had a fairly large spot for carts given the size of the store and being the only store in town).  Might even be some that made it to other stores as well. 

Also given that this GU closed well after the chain as a whole (only when Hannaford opened in town), much of the store fixtures were left intact (not sold like they were with the stores closed in bankruptcy), so they probably got some of the existing shelving in the store as part of the location as well (obviously had to add racks for clothing, given that GU didn't sell that, and not sure what happened to stuff like freezers, coolers, produce etc.).

Most likely have both the M90 and possibly some M95s, assuming the smaller carts were not the plastic PC-20s from the previous fleet.

I think what actually happened with the GU Tote Carts when the Valatie store closed is that half of them stayed and carried over to OSJL and the other half ended up at the True Value down the road, as there are pictures showing that store with those carts.

[BillyGr]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

What kind of carts did Valatie get? I've been documenting the various carts that have come and gone for the past six years at various locations in the Capital Region, and I have plenty of pictures over here:

https://rrcarts.blogspot.com/2020/03/vultures-worst-of-ocean-state-job-lot.html

I'd say some version(s) of the Walmart metal ones - as I saw them, there was a variation with the blue vs. grey seats.  Just about all looked to be the same size after all, maybe 2 or so that were a little smaller (could be a couple that they kept from their prior mix & match of carts as well).

The green GU you show in the Schenectady batch is definitely what the ones that wound up in Albany are, and I'd suspect that they all came from Valatie originally (as GU had a fairly large spot for carts given the size of the store and being the only store in town).  Might even be some that made it to other stores as well. 

Also given that this GU closed well after the chain as a whole (only when Hannaford opened in town), much of the store fixtures were left intact (not sold like they were with the stores closed in bankruptcy), so they probably got some of the existing shelving in the store as part of the location as well (obviously had to add racks for clothing, given that GU didn't sell that, and not sure what happened to stuff like freezers, coolers, produce etc.).

Most likely have both the M90 and possibly some M95s, assuming the smaller carts were not the plastic PC-20s from the previous fleet.

I think what actually happened with the GU Tote Carts when the Valatie store closed is that half of them stayed and carried over to OSJL and the other half ended up at the True Value down the road, as there are pictures showing that store with those carts.

That seems possible - not that I've never been in Mario's (the True Value you mention), just usually grabbing an item or two and not even looking to see what kind of carts they may have. 

Though that would be quite appropriate, given that the main part of that True Value store (the center where you come in) IS the original Grand Union in town (before they moved to the left part of the plaza that is now medical offices, then the final store that is now OSJL - the small shops in the middle were added to "connect" the old building with the new one when that was built in the 1990's).

They also have a second spot a bit further south (where 9H crosses over 9 between the villages of Valatie & Kinderhook) that is a building materials center, so possibly they would use a few there as well to move stuff around (thinking of things like 5 gallon buckets of stuff or similar).

[Retail Regents]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

What kind of carts did Valatie get? I've been documenting the various carts that have come and gone for the past six years at various locations in the Capital Region, and I have plenty of pictures over here:

https://rrcarts.blogspot.com/2020/03/vultures-worst-of-ocean-state-job-lot.html

I'd say some version(s) of the Walmart metal ones - as I saw them, there was a variation with the blue vs. grey seats.  Just about all looked to be the same size after all, maybe 2 or so that were a little smaller (could be a couple that they kept from their prior mix & match of carts as well).

The green GU you show in the Schenectady batch is definitely what the ones that wound up in Albany are, and I'd suspect that they all came from Valatie originally (as GU had a fairly large spot for carts given the size of the store and being the only store in town).  Might even be some that made it to other stores as well. 

Also given that this GU closed well after the chain as a whole (only when Hannaford opened in town), much of the store fixtures were left intact (not sold like they were with the stores closed in bankruptcy), so they probably got some of the existing shelving in the store as part of the location as well (obviously had to add racks for clothing, given that GU didn't sell that, and not sure what happened to stuff like freezers, coolers, produce etc.).

Most likely have both the M90 and possibly some M95s, assuming the smaller carts were not the plastic PC-20s from the previous fleet.

I think what actually happened with the GU Tote Carts when the Valatie store closed is that half of them stayed and carried over to OSJL and the other half ended up at the True Value down the road, as there are pictures showing that store with those carts.

That seems possible - not that I've never been in Mario's (the True Value you mention), just usually grabbing an item or two and not even looking to see what kind of carts they may have. 

Though that would be quite appropriate, given that the main part of that True Value store (the center where you come in) IS the original Grand Union in town (before they moved to the left part of the plaza that is now medical offices, then the final store that is now OSJL - the small shops in the middle were added to "connect" the old building with the new one when that was built in the 1990's).

They also have a second spot a bit further south (where 9H crosses over 9 between the villages of Valatie & Kinderhook) that is a building materials center, so possibly they would use a few there as well to move stuff around (thinking of things like 5 gallon buckets of stuff or similar).

That must have been a while back, as I didn't see any of the Grand Union carts at the Albany store when I went there this morning. All I saw were the ex-Walmart, Meijer, Walt's Food Center, and an ex-Stop & Shop cart.

[Retail_247]

I made an Ocean State Job Lot store locations list (a list of every Job Lot store that I could find, even ones that have closed):

https://retail247projecthub.blogspot.com/2021/09/ocean-state-job-lot-master-list.html

[Retail Regents]

I made an Ocean State Job Lot store locations list (a list of every Job Lot store that I could find, even ones that have closed):

https://retail247projecthub.blogspot.com/2021/09/ocean-state-job-lot-master-list.html

For the NY stores, here's what I know:

- Albany was last an A.J. Wright (not sure what it was originally; A.J. Wright only opened in 2008)
- Ballston Spa store opened December 4, 2006 (first in NY).
- Clifton Park was said to have been a Joy Discount Store
- Schenectady was a combined space, last occupied by Eckerd (left) and PriceRite (right). Both of these spaces were originally Fay's Drug and Price Chopper.

Also that one in Rutland, VT appears to originally have been a Shop 'n Save that was rebannered to Hannaford before they moved down the road to the former Stop & Shop.

[BillyGr]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

What kind of carts did Valatie get? I've been documenting the various carts that have come and gone for the past six years at various locations in the Capital Region, and I have plenty of pictures over here:

https://rrcarts.blogspot.com/2020/03/vultures-worst-of-ocean-state-job-lot.html

I'd say some version(s) of the Walmart metal ones - as I saw them, there was a variation with the blue vs. grey seats.  Just about all looked to be the same size after all, maybe 2 or so that were a little smaller (could be a couple that they kept from their prior mix & match of carts as well).

The green GU you show in the Schenectady batch is definitely what the ones that wound up in Albany are, and I'd suspect that they all came from Valatie originally (as GU had a fairly large spot for carts given the size of the store and being the only store in town).  Might even be some that made it to other stores as well. 

Also given that this GU closed well after the chain as a whole (only when Hannaford opened in town), much of the store fixtures were left intact (not sold like they were with the stores closed in bankruptcy), so they probably got some of the existing shelving in the store as part of the location as well (obviously had to add racks for clothing, given that GU didn't sell that, and not sure what happened to stuff like freezers, coolers, produce etc.).

Most likely have both the M90 and possibly some M95s, assuming the smaller carts were not the plastic PC-20s from the previous fleet.

I think what actually happened with the GU Tote Carts when the Valatie store closed is that half of them stayed and carried over to OSJL and the other half ended up at the True Value down the road, as there are pictures showing that store with those carts.

That seems possible - not that I've never been in Mario's (the True Value you mention), just usually grabbing an item or two and not even looking to see what kind of carts they may have. 

Though that would be quite appropriate, given that the main part of that True Value store (the center where you come in) IS the original Grand Union in town (before they moved to the left part of the plaza that is now medical offices, then the final store that is now OSJL - the small shops in the middle were added to "connect" the old building with the new one when that was built in the 1990's).

They also have a second spot a bit further south (where 9H crosses over 9 between the villages of Valatie & Kinderhook) that is a building materials center, so possibly they would use a few there as well to move stuff around (thinking of things like 5 gallon buckets of stuff or similar).

That must have been a while back, as I didn't see any of the Grand Union carts at the Albany store when I went there this morning. All I saw were the ex-Walmart, Meijer, Walt's Food Center, and an ex-Stop & Shop cart.

They were there sometime in the past couple months (Feb or Mar), not inside the store just chained up out in front on the sidewalk.
Perhaps either someone realized they weren't useful there (being a smaller store with less room for those bigger carts), or of course being in Albany it's also possible someone came in overnight and cut the chain and took them for their own use!

[Retail Regents]

I heard that some changes have happened with the shopping carts at the Valatie and Albany stores (namely a set of GU carts [possibly some 1995 Tote Carts] ended up at the latter and a uniform fleet at the former.

Correct on both counts - the Valatie ones are definitely more uniform (there may still be two slightly different types as some seem a bit smaller than others, but they look mostly the same) and the GU carts at the Albany store are some of the ones that used to be here in Valatie (and were original to that store since it was a GU and used those larger, flatter green carts as it had the green/yellow decor that was far less common, given the overall small number of new stores that GU opened in the later 1990's).

Not quite sure why they'd send those to the Albany location, given how small that store is - would have made far more sense for them to get the rest of the carts that were of the deep/narrow type that used to be here (various colors plastic, some of which were likely from Ames and other similar stores) - I can see them getting older ones as they are in an area where carts are probably more likely to be taken from the store and not returned, so perhaps that isn't as likely to happen if the carts are old and not in the best shape.

What kind of carts did Valatie get? I've been documenting the various carts that have come and gone for the past six years at various locations in the Capital Region, and I have plenty of pictures over here:

https://rrcarts.blogspot.com/2020/03/vultures-worst-of-ocean-state-job-lot.html

I'd say some version(s) of the Walmart metal ones - as I saw them, there was a variation with the blue vs. grey seats.  Just about all looked to be the same size after all, maybe 2 or so that were a little smaller (could be a couple that they kept from their prior mix & match of carts as well).

The green GU you show in the Schenectady batch is definitely what the ones that wound up in Albany are, and I'd suspect that they all came from Valatie originally (as GU had a fairly large spot for carts given the size of the store and being the only store in town).  Might even be some that made it to other stores as well. 

Also given that this GU closed well after the chain as a whole (only when Hannaford opened in town), much of the store fixtures were left intact (not sold like they were with the stores closed in bankruptcy), so they probably got some of the existing shelving in the store as part of the location as well (obviously had to add racks for clothing, given that GU didn't sell that, and not sure what happened to stuff like freezers, coolers, produce etc.).

Most likely have both the M90 and possibly some M95s, assuming the smaller carts were not the plastic PC-20s from the previous fleet.

I think what actually happened with the GU Tote Carts when the Valatie store closed is that half of them stayed and carried over to OSJL and the other half ended up at the True Value down the road, as there are pictures showing that store with those carts.

That seems possible - not that I've never been in Mario's (the True Value you mention), just usually grabbing an item or two and not even looking to see what kind of carts they may have. 

Though that would be quite appropriate, given that the main part of that True Value store (the center where you come in) IS the original Grand Union in town (before they moved to the left part of the plaza that is now medical offices, then the final store that is now OSJL - the small shops in the middle were added to "connect" the old building with the new one when that was built in the 1990's).

They also have a second spot a bit further south (where 9H crosses over 9 between the villages of Valatie & Kinderhook) that is a building materials center, so possibly they would use a few there as well to move stuff around (thinking of things like 5 gallon buckets of stuff or similar).

That must have been a while back, as I didn't see any of the Grand Union carts at the Albany store when I went there this morning. All I saw were the ex-Walmart, Meijer, Walt's Food Center, and an ex-Stop & Shop cart.

They were there sometime in the past couple months (Feb or Mar), not inside the store just chained up out in front on the sidewalk.
Perhaps either someone realized they weren't useful there (being a smaller store with less room for those bigger carts), or of course being in Albany it's also possible someone came in overnight and cut the chain and took them for their own use!

If anything, pretty much all of Albany's carts are backwash from other stores. More likely they'll end up somewhere else months if not years later.