Vicente's Supermarket
It's time for another Vicente's! The chain of international supermarkets, specializing in food from Latin America and Africa -- specifically Cape Verde, as they earn the distinction of the only Cape Verdean food store in the US -- has expanded outside their home city of Brockton, but here on Main Street, they've been selling tropical foods for decades.
This store, the building of which dates back to the 1950s or so (no later than 1960), became Vicente's first supermarket in 2001 when they moved out of a smaller storefront in the northern part of the city. This is the oldest Vicente's in operation, joining that newer location in Pawtucket (opened 2021), another one in Brockton (opened 2014), a former Save-A-Lot in New Bedford (opened 2024), and a former Walgreens they're converting in the Roxbury section of Boston that hasn't opened yet.
Those first two exterior pictures are from 2022, but the older exterior picture and the interior photos are from my first visit in 2019. They slightly rearranged the interior since then, but nothing too major.
The produce department is in the front-right corner of the store, with dairy in the rest of the first aisle on the right. Meats line the back wall, with an alcove on the left side for deli, prepared foods, and seafood. Frozen foods are also on the left side of the store.
It's pretty apparent there's a big cosmetic difference between this store and one like the new one in Pawtucket. Still, this is a solid and well-run neighborhood supermarket.
It looks like the former deli counter is now used for seafood.
I don't know much about this store's history, but it does look like it's been a supermarket (or at least a store) for the whole time it's been here. It also looks like there were originally two entrances/exits, one on each side. The store is today set up to face Main Street, with loading in the back facing Warren Avenue. But it looks like there originally may have been another entrance/exit on that side. The triangle in the center of the facade also makes me wonder if it was ever an A&P.
The interior doesn't have any clear indications of the building's history, either. It might have been redone when Vicente's moved in, or perhaps there was another tenant right before them that redid it. Obviously, the store is dated inside, but it's not original -- in most places. Hold that thought.
Frozen foods lining the outside of the last aisle.
There are a few odd corners in the store, as we can see here, making me again wonder what its history and progression of renovations was.
But as with the other Vicente's, the grocery aisles are well-stocked and have a variety of international foods. Vicente's uses Best Yet products from C&S.
And a look across the front-end. Now, less-observant shoppers might not notice a small detail above the exit door, but I did...
Can you see it? I had to look very carefully to pick it out.
So here's what we're looking at, after adjusting the lighting a bit...
I'm fairly confident this sign, and the wooden frame of the doors, is original to the building. The specificity of the "to Main St." sign also was what led me to believe there may have originally been an entrance and exit facing Warren Avenue...
Opened: 2001 in this location
Owner: Manuel Vicente Barbosa
Previous Tenants: A&P (possible)
Cooperative: none
Location: 689 Main St, Brockton, MA
Photographed: July 6, 2019 and November 11, 2022
...a side now clearly not intended for the general public, but we see the triangular shaped facade again, again making me think some unusual variation on an A&P design (this store, at a little over 20,000 square feet, is a bit large for A&P stores of this era). Maybe a local can tell me for sure! Regardless, it does look like there's some suggestion there may have previously been windows on this wall based on very faint outlines I can see on the building. That's all for this store, and I find myself with more questions than answers, but hopefully someone will be able to fill us all in. Now enjoy your weekend, but be sure to come back both Saturday and Sunday for lots of new stores!
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