ACME Markets
Opened: 2015
It's time for a return to the Old Bridge ACME! We first saw the store with pictures from 2020, and I commented on the fact that the store had yet to be remodeled to Quality Built. When driving by the store in late August, I was surprised to see some facade work going on. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be anything more than fixing a broken-down area on the facade.
The section to the far right of the facade seems to be the only area of work happening in the store. I did a circuit of the interior and there's no change at all over the last two years. I wonder if this is a lower-volume store, given the fact that there's been so little done. It was fairly busy when I stopped by. The interior, however, is not in good shape.
In fact, it's possible this work is being done exclusively by the landlord, and that ACME has no say in it at all. Many of the Shaw's in New England, as they are renovated inside, are being painted outside, so it's also possible there's some form of exterior paint/upgrade going on here. I hope there is -- since this exterior didn't look very good when it was an A&P and looks worse for ACME.
Opened: 2015
Previous Tenants: A&P
Location: 3500 US-9, Old Bridge, NJ
Photographed: August 21, 2022
Again, it looks like there is nothing big going on here but I had to stop regardless. That's all for this store, but tomorrow we're back into Philadelphia for a store in Mount Airy!
I grew up with Acme in Maryland and Delaware and loved going to the stores and buying store brands. Remember EconoBuy from Acme? I found it interesting when Albertsons first acquired them there was a mix of Acme and Albertsons branded products then when SuperValu came we saw more Acme branded items again. I would shop at different stores each week like Superfresh (Americas Choice) just to see what brands I could come up with and what was similar. Then the Safeway buyout they dropped the Safeway Select and Safeway Kitchens brand at Safeway which showed up at Acme for a bit and now we have no more Acme in our town but they kept the Safeway which sells Signature Select. Depending if I stop at a Acme next town over or the Safeway the only thing different is the logo on my paper bags and receipt. Now they announced that Kroger is buying them it will be interesting to see if the brands survive and if we will have Kroger labeled products or if they will use the signature select brand everywhere or come up with something new like Kroger Select. We have no Krogers in Delaware so who knows how it will change. Regardless they are all to dang expensive. Thank God for Liddls and Aldi at this point. Please when you do a store tour mention what there main private label is and take a picture. I find that interesting. Who knows one day we may only have one store brand if they keep merging. I miss having several store banners with there own uniqueness and brands. Hey Kroger if you read this bring back the Acme brand and use it everywhere it’s sort of a generic name anyway!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your memories!
DeleteUnfortunately, Acme branded products are as rare as hens teeth. It started to decline after the StupidValu acquisition and continues even now. I always referred to Acme Branded products as “free advertisement”, but what do I know 😂
ReplyDeleteI believe the decline of the Acme brand has helped their major competitors (shoprite) to gain great gains.
A sad fact now is when you think back to the 60’s through 70’s Acme had close to 600 stores in the Va, Wva, Md, Ny, Nj, De, Pa areas. Now Acme might have 168 stores.
Granted, the large number of stores is the past we’re smaller in size, but during that time period Acme executives mindset was to “serve” their main source of growth…the customer.
My well wishes to the continued success of Acme Markets.
Anonymous Employee
Thanks for your memories!
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