Old A&P Building Panama City, FL

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dooneyt63
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Joined: 07 Nov 2005 20:16

Old A&P Building Panama City, FL

Post by dooneyt63 »

The old A&P building at 300 E. Sixth St. in Panama City, FL, has until a few days ago survived as a number of independent grocers, most recently Grocery Outlet. They have closed the location and are relocating to an old Jitney Jungle/Sunshine/Save-a-Lot location of a later vintage a few blocks down the street. The new building dates from the 1960's; the old one dates from the early 1950's.

It was the typical old A&P store with Roman brick, center entry, glass windows above the Roman brick across the front, and only 6 or 8 aisles. It was amazing that it survived relatively intact for this long. It still sported Celotex ceiling tiles (not a suspended grid) and unit heaters...a real blast from the A&P past. The store operated as A&P as late as the 1970's. Also, it was a rare downtown grocery survivor.

I imagine it is doubtful a grocery store will reuse the space as it is small even for an operation like Save-a-Lot. Early SAL's did use spaces like this, and it would be workable, but I suspect it will transfer to another usage. The vintage interior will most likely not be retained either. Another example of the shocking reality that something as historic as A&P is well on the way to disappearing with hardly a trace comparative to its original almost ubiquitous footprint.
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