Original Grocery Tenant: Shaw's
Address: 70 Worcester Rd, Webster, MA
Moving from the former Park 'n Shop at the southern end of Webster Plaza to today's store, built around the 1990s as a Shaw's in a 59,000 square foot new building. It's about 10,000 square feet smaller than the Price Chopper in town, and closed just a year after Price Chopper opened, meaning that it's likely Price Chopper put this Shaw's out of business.
Webster Plaza was also home to a Big Kmart, which was likely previously a different department store. The Shaw's space remains vacant still, but the Kmart has become a U-Haul facility. It should be noted that there's also a Shaw's in Webster Square Plaza, which is very different from Webster Plaza and is located about 12 miles north in Worcester.
Because the Shaw's space has remained vacant all this time, we can get a sense of how the Shaw's looked. Very little has been changed on this building, of course, since Shaw's was here.
We can even get a look inside! I'm not totally sure what the layout of the Shaw's would've been, but it looks like the former grand aisle was to the right of the wall we see here, with grocery aisles in the rest of the store. I'd guess that produce was in the front right corner with deli and bakery in the back right corner, then meat and seafood across the back wall with frozen, dairy, and HABA on the left side. I'm not too familiar with Shaw's that had a wall separating the grand aisle from the grocery aisles, but I suppose some did and I can't think of a good reason that they would've built it after Shaw's closed.
Entrance/exit vestibule might not be sealed up 100% because of the leaves we can still see, which I'm going to assume are not 10 years old.
And one more look inside before we move along...
Address: 70 Worcester Rd, Webster, MA
Opened: ca. 1990s
Closed: 2014
Later Tenants: vacant
Photographed: May 1, 2021 and April 16, 2022
We'll see plenty of open and fully operational Shaw's in New England, so if you're unfamiliar with their stores, don't worry! But tomorrow we're headed to the next town north to check out a local favorite supermarket!
Great interior shot! Looks as though the store had PF&H version 1. Even the tile behind meat and seafood was upgraded. Shaws' leaves on the wall (not the foyer ;) look to be from the previous decor package and not swapped out for Alberstons' leaves. I took a look at the pictures on google of the Webster Square Plaza store. They show the store still having, what I believe to be, the pre-Albertsons decor package. It's pretty nice considering how dated it is and I like the way it works Shaws' colors into so many elements around the store. I seriously couldn't know less about Shaws if I tried. Have never been in one and couldn't tell you one thing about the chain's history but still loved seeing this store!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, I think you're right. And yes, Webster Square has pre-Albertsons decor, and since that was my go-to supermarket for years when I lived in that area, I do love it! I don't think it's been renovated yet, but it doesn't seem to be particularly low-volume, so I don't think it's soon to close.
DeleteYou'll be seeing plenty more of Shaw's (and Star Market) as I post more New England stores! Lots more fun stuff to see.