(The store's facade is actually duplicated to the right of the photo here so that it can be seen from both Lemoine Avenue and Interstate 95.)
We covered this store prior to ACME's renovations (see the original post here), but decided to give it some extra coverage considering it has been one of ACME's more successful conversions. Opened in 2001, this rather extravagant and late-model 90's Centennial started off as a Food Emporium. Honestly, this is quite unique. This was one of Food Emporium's only locations in New Jersey. Prior to Fort Lee, A&P also operated one under the banner at home base in Montvale. In 2006, A&P transitioned this store to their A&P Fresh banner/format due to a changing population in Fort Lee, marking the end of the Food Emporium marque in New Jersey. However, the store still provided all of the amenities one would expect from a Food Emporium in Manhattan. Prior to the 2015 A&P bankruptcy, A&P also operated a Pathmark in Fort Lee as well, which is now a U-Haul Self Storage. As a result of A&P's final bankruptcy and full liquidation of their stores, ACME Markets of Malvern, PA scooped up this store along with 75 others in 2015. The store has been a huge success for ACME due to its urban location and being the "normal supermarket" in an area full of specialty stores like H-Mart, Cafasso's, and Whole Foods Market. This store is also located just a stone's throw away from the George Washington Bridge which makes it a quick stop for any tourist needing a pick-me-up or two, and commuters who need a less chaotic place to pick up groceries than in the city that never sleeps.
We covered this store prior to ACME's renovations (see the original post here), but decided to give it some extra coverage considering it has been one of ACME's more successful conversions. Opened in 2001, this rather extravagant and late-model 90's Centennial started off as a Food Emporium. Honestly, this is quite unique. This was one of Food Emporium's only locations in New Jersey. Prior to Fort Lee, A&P also operated one under the banner at home base in Montvale. In 2006, A&P transitioned this store to their A&P Fresh banner/format due to a changing population in Fort Lee, marking the end of the Food Emporium marque in New Jersey. However, the store still provided all of the amenities one would expect from a Food Emporium in Manhattan. Prior to the 2015 A&P bankruptcy, A&P also operated a Pathmark in Fort Lee as well, which is now a U-Haul Self Storage. As a result of A&P's final bankruptcy and full liquidation of their stores, ACME Markets of Malvern, PA scooped up this store along with 75 others in 2015. The store has been a huge success for ACME due to its urban location and being the "normal supermarket" in an area full of specialty stores like H-Mart, Cafasso's, and Whole Foods Market. This store is also located just a stone's throw away from the George Washington Bridge which makes it a quick stop for any tourist needing a pick-me-up or two, and commuters who need a less chaotic place to pick up groceries than in the city that never sleeps.
Kudos to ACME for repainting the roof! It was looking a bit worse-for-wear in the A&P days.
Upon entering the store, I noticed the Pharmacy sign from the A&P days was still in the vestibule.
I took these photos while visiting a handful of other former A&P stores in Bergen County in July 2019.
A&P sure made a good vestibule here! Although it looks quite small in the photo, it feels very large in person due to the high vaulted ceiling that cascades up to a set of gigantic windows.
ACME did not replace one lick of flooring in this place, which is a good thing in my opinion. Their new decor package works very well with A&P's old floors.
Because of the store's origins of being a Food Emporium, the large prepared foods section survives! The store even has a pizza oven, which can be seen to the right of the photo.
The produce department is very spacious and well-stocked.
This sign is left over from the A&P days.
Despite the store's somewhat on the smaller side 50,000 square foot footprint, it still manages to pack in a gigantic bakery!
The drop ceiling, therefore the grocery aisles, begin just to the left of the bakery.
ACME added in a large section of organic and specialty products over the exposed part of the ceiling, which create a unique shopping experience for that section versus the rest of the store.
A&P's classic black diamond flooring can be seen throughout the store.
It appears ACME's "Lancaster Brand" sign is missing.
The dairy aisle strangely has refrigeration cases on both sides.
The Pharmacy gets its own set of aisles, different flooring, and special lighting here.
Are these old Pathmark Sav-A-Center aisle markers? You bet they are!
The store also features a Starbucks Coffee kiosk which is located near the entrances. Unfortunately, I didn't notice it until I was on my way out.
A&P's lighting is still going strong here.
This is a few ACME locations that now offers in-store pickup. I hear that they are expanding it to many more stores now, which is a good move in this changing retail climate that we are currently in.
May this store be open for many more years! I love it!
A&P lighting no longer going strong. It has all been replaced. Overhead aisle lights all gone too and now lighting runs along the ceiling above the grocery aisles. The store is a lot brighter than it was during the A&P days.
ReplyDeleteACME is, yet again, resetting this store. The HABA aisles are all being reconfigured. No longer at an angle. It has been weeks now and I still can't figure out what the final layout will be. A few of the last grocery aisles, which used to be shorter than all the others, have been extended.
It seems that part of ACME's plan was to brighten up the stores, likely to give off an atmosphere of change despite the majority of stores not being renovated in 2015.
DeleteI always find it interesting that ACME tends to reset stores several times. Doylestown, my local ACME, has been reset probably 5-6 times in the past four years. While part of this is due to the removal of Wild Harvest, the other times the store was reset I felt were simply unnecessary, considering that the decor, flooring, and basically all other aspects of the store were the same.