Get Ready Say Farewell To An Ames Building

[Four4Rock]

Thought you folks might find this article interesting.  It outlines Clarence, NY's plans to allow Benchmark develpment to demolish a former Ames store (which was previously a Hill's - Naum's - W T Grant).  The store has been empty for years... so, I say git-r done!

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20050720/1047010.asp

[greg8370]

sad but true

[JimSawhill]

True, AMES will never be forgotten... Zayre's won't be, G. Fox, Sage-Allen and D&L stores won't either. Or Read's!!! Or Butterfield's and Forbes&Wallace and Korvette's or J.M.Field's. (or any other stores from the 60s - including Brown-Thompson!! (Remember that store??!!)

[mikey1972]

In my hometown of Ogdensburg, NY, we are going through the same thing.  Our Ames was one of many anchor stores in a plaza.  The store replaced an older store which opened in 1962 in an old silk mill.  The plaza store opened in 1971 and closed in 1993, never to reopen.  Now the entire plaza is vacant and the owner wants to demolish it for a new superstore.

[d_fife]

Originally posted by mikey1972
In my hometown of Ogdensburg, NY, we are going through the same thing.  Our Ames was one of many anchor stores in a plaza.  The store replaced an older store which opened in 1962 in an old silk mill.  The plaza store opened in 1971 and closed in 1993, never to reopen.  Now the entire plaza is vacant and the owner wants to demolish it for a new superstore.

what superstore, don't tell me wal-mart (wal-mart always does that, opens a standard store and 5 to 10 yrs later wants to relocate as a supercenter), there is already one down the road across a big plaza with a new lowe's (it looked new as I was there 3 months ago, price chopper etc and more of the new businesses seem to be in that part of ogdensburg (I found ogdensburg to be a dump). Target w*ould not come as they mainly concentrate on bigger population areas and not small rural towns.

the old ames plaza in ogdensburg as of may 25, 2006.

[powersbt]

Easy, easy. Superstore, does that mean a Car Dealership type of thing??

Originally posted by d_fife

Originally posted by mikey1972
In my hometown of Ogdensburg, NY, we are going through the same thing.  Our Ames was one of many anchor stores in a plaza.  The store replaced an older store which opened in 1962 in an old silk mill.  The plaza store opened in 1971 and closed in 1993, never to reopen.  Now the entire plaza is vacant and the owner wants to demolish it for a new superstore.

what superstore, don't tell me wal-mart (wal-mart always does that, opens a standard store and 5 to 10 yrs later wants to relocate as a supercenter), there is already one down the road across a big plaza with a new lowe's (it looked new as I was there 3 months ago, price chopper etc and more of the new businesses seem to be in that part of ogdensburg (I found ogdensburg to be a dump). Target w*ould not come as they mainly concentrate on bigger population areas and not small rural towns.

the old ames plaza in ogdensburg as of may 25, 2006.

[mikey1972]

The photo shown above is the former Kmart store in the Park Plaza.  It has been vacant since 1990 except for a few months in the early 90's when it was leased by a furniture store.  The plaza is owned by a developer who also owns a chain of car dealerships in the area.  From what I understand, it could become a Walmart or a Target.  I have also heard that the owner wants to build a new Ford dealership on part of the land.  Whatever happens, they would need to demolish the neighboring Pizza Hut, McDonald's and another restaurant to make room.  If it does become a Super Wal-Mart, that will hurt the Aldi's store located next to the plaza.

[mikey1972]

Originally posted by d_fife

Originally posted by mikey1972
In my hometown of Ogdensburg, NY, we are going through the same thing.  Our Ames was one of many anchor stores in a plaza.  The store replaced an older store which opened in 1962 in an old silk mill.  The plaza store opened in 1971 and closed in 1993, never to reopen.  Now the entire plaza is vacant and the owner wants to demolish it for a new superstore.

what superstore, don't tell me wal-mart (wal-mart always does that, opens a standard store and 5 to 10 yrs later wants to relocate as a supercenter), there is already one down the road across a big plaza with a new lowe's (it looked new as I was there 3 months ago, price chopper etc and more of the new businesses seem to be in that part of ogdensburg (I found ogdensburg to be a dump). Target w*ould not come as they mainly concentrate on bigger population areas and not small rural towns.

the old ames plaza in ogdensburg as of may 25, 2006.

This is the old Kmart store, vacant since 1990 (note the label scars.)  If you looked closer, you might be able to see the label scars from when it was a Grants store 30 years ago.  At the right is the former Acme Market/Chicago Market/Super Duper/Jubilee Foods IGA.