227 North Ave, Dunellen, NJ

Original Tenant: ShopRite
Address: 227 North Ave, Dunellen, NJ

Opened: early 1960s

Closed: probably 1980s

Later Tenants: subdivided

Photographed: July 2020

Just a few blocks east in downtown Dunellen from today's Tropical Supermarket is this 17,000 square foot space previously occupied by a ShopRite. The space appears to be an expansion from an original 5500 square foot space in what now makes up the far back of the building. Not a particularly exciting structure, except for one element...

The round ShopRite tower sign remains! Today it holds an Apple Tree Farmers Market sign, which doesn't exist anymore but used to be in the far right portion of the space.

I think it's likely that the metal siding here has been intact since the ShopRite days, although the awning seen in the first picture looks a little newer. JoshAustin610 speculates that this store could've been replaced by Piscataway or closed when Watchung was expanded in the 80s, but I think it's more likely to be the precursor to Piscataway. Watchung was a Good Deal supermarket acquired by Village Super Market in 1976, and I doubt this one was a Village since it seems to be more in the Saker region than the Village region. Piscataway also opened in 1987, and it's conceivable this store was open until then. Any locals have any input? Up next we're heading to the east for two stores at the Piscataway/South Plainfield border, one on The Market Report and one on The Independent Edition!