ShopRite of Millburn
Owner: Village Super Market
Opened: 1976
Previous Tenants: Staff-Good Deal
Cooperative: Wakefern Food Corp
Location: 220 Main St, Millburn, NJ
Photographed: August 20, 2023
It's time for another look at the renovation ongoing at the Millburn ShopRite! We last saw some pictures
I took back in June, I wish I had more up-to-date pictures than this, but here's what the store was looking like back in August as it was wrapping up its remodel. (The store held its grand reopening, after putting on the finishing touches, on 10/8.)
Of course, no decor had been installed yet in the front area, but the old deli and seafood area has been rearranged into a self-service grab-and-go area, making the front area much more spacious. The deli has been moved into the corner, which I think has downsized the deli counter but freed up a lot of space in the area.
Here's a look at the new deli counter, which also has a small sushi station at the left side. This area looks nice and fresh, but it's definitely very small.
This is what the area looks like now that it's done.
But the produce department looks great! It's spacious and so much better-looking than it was. I love the new decor, too!
All new fixtures in this area, too. It looks very nice, although I want more from the lighting.
One change is that, since the time of my visit, the seafood counter has been switched back to a full-service counter (the way it was originally in the front).
Once we move out of the grand aisle, the rest of the store already had all its decor and new fixtures in.
And it looks really good! Admittedly nothing too exciting, but it's looking clean and modern compared to how it was.
The new customer service counter looks good, too, and it's been moved to a nice airy spot next to the front-end.
And it's in the front of the store where we can really see the effects of the remodel. The store looks spacious and open on the front, which I think comes from the wider space created by shortening the grocery aisles.
New freezers look really good in the frozen department, too.
And I like the fact that the flooring, ceiling, and lighting are all in good shape. I would've loved to see a more exciting ceiling treatment, even exposing the barrel-roof, but sadly we're stuck with a boring drop ceiling.
And although I do love this decor package, we're definitely seeing a simpler version. Compare this store to the enormous, deluxe
Stroudsburg location.
But the fixtures look good and the decor does too, so I can't complain!
Although it looks like most of the grocery shelving has not been replaced.
In the front, the last few aisles have been shortened to accommodate a new section of sale items between the beverages on the front wall and the aisles. This area feels a lot more spacious, but man, that Hydration Station signage just doesn't work.
And another look at the front end.
I'll try to get back to check out the last few updates Village made before the official grand reopening, but for now, this will do! And there's a lot more this weekend...
Hi, Zachary! I am sorry it has been a long time since I last posted, but I have been quite busy. I hope that all is well with you.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for all these updates on the Millburn ShopRite. After doing some research, I was able to ascertain the following about this store's history:
*The first tenant of this building was a very obscure chain called Mutual Super Markets, which opened on September 14, 1960. I have no idea why Mutual was allowed to build a supermarket that looked so much like a Centennial. (I was thinking that perhaps A&P constructed the supermarket but then decided--at the 11th hour--not to open. However, I found no evidence that A&P ever intended to operate a store at 220 Main Street.)
*After operating in Millburn for slightly less than three months, Mutual sold its leasehold and all of the store's assets to Good Deal Super Markets. There was no interruption in the store's operations during the transition, and the 220 Main Street location became a Good Deal on December 5, 1960.
*I was unable to ascertain exactly when the store's branding changed from "Good Deal" to "Staff-Good Deal." Per newspaper ads, the branding was still "Good Deal" as of 5/2/63 but had changed to "Staff-Good Deal" by 11/21/68.
*The Millburn Staff-Good Deal closed sometime between 9/23/71 and 9/26/74. I suspect that the entire Staff-Good Deal chain was out of business by September 1974, although I am not 100% certain.
*The Millburn ShopRite opened on December 11, 1974. FYI, the original ShopRite logo was still used in the chain's ads at the time. (It appears that the logo change occurred on or around July 27, 1975.)
As for the renovations, I think that they look very nice. Also, I am glad that the drop ceiling was kept (although that is an opinion with which you strongly disagree).
I have never actually been inside this store, and I regret that I did not get to see the old Village decor (which I am pretty sure was not original, but probably dated back to the early-1980s). Although that decor was still in good condition, it obviously was very outdated. And as I indicated above, I am pleased with how the renovations turned out.
Thanks for all your thoughts on the store and for more detail on the store's past! Always excited to hear the results of your extensive research.
DeleteIn the eleventh post of the "Historical Information About ShopRite Locations (Past & Present)" thread (on the Groceteria message board), I discuss the ShopRite of Millburn. Although most of what I stated is a repeat of what I wrote above, there is some interesting new content courtesy of Newspapers.com (which hopefully can be accessed by clicking on the hyperlinks I shared). This content includes:
ReplyDelete1. A photo of how the Mutual Super Market (this building's original occupant) looked from a certain vantage point in September 1960
2. Verification that there were two former Millburn ShopRites--located at 186 Essex Street and at 249 Millburn Avenue--which became Pathmarks in late 1968
3. A link to a newspaper ad which lists the ShopRites in the northern half of NJ that were converting to Pathmark in late 1968
Thanks for adding the details!
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