Road Trip Photos

Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

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Groceteria
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Road Trip Photos

Post by Groceteria »

Just posted: photos from last week's trip to Charleston, Pittsburgh, and Richmond. This was not a research trip per se, but I got a few good shots. Comments/info on unidentified stores welcome.

http://www.groceteria.com/journal/2009/01.html#010509
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Andrew T.
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Re: Road Trip Photos

Post by Andrew T. »

Excellent photos!

Charleston, WV is pretty close to my old stomping grounds, and no doubt there's a lot of interesting supermarket artifacts in the area to be mined. I wish I could help out with identification; though without firsthand knowledge or a directory on hand it's hard to say.

Could the floor tiles in the Smithers, WV Kroger be original? They look identical in pattern (if not color) to those in this picture from circa 1957. The still-discernable 1950s labelscar on the D Street, South Charleston store is another neat sight...
"The pale pastels which have been featured in most food stores during the past 20 years are no longer in tune with the mood of the 1970s."
Andrew Turnbull
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Groceteria
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Re: Road Trip Photos

Post by Groceteria »

I feel pretty certain most of the Smithers interior (aside from the wall signage and aisle hangers) is original. The ceiling sure is.

I was pretty excited about the South Charleston store too. In addition to the labelscar, it's pretty obvious where the store was both expanded and retrofitted into something resembling a superstore. I'd be interested in knowing when this one closed. I may do a purely research-focused trip to Charleston soon; it's only about a three hour drive from here and I could easily cover it in a weekend, I think.
Toby Radloff
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Re: Road Trip Photos

Post by Toby Radloff »

I'm surprised that you didn't take any pictures of Giant Eagles while you were in Pittsburgh. I know a few are in former Kroger buildings...and they may have a few vintage locations of their own there, including a marina-type GE near Uniontown.
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Re: Road Trip Photos

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Toby Radloff wrote:I'm surprised that you didn't take any pictures of Giant Eagles while you were in Pittsburgh. I know a few are in former Kroger buildings...and they may have a few vintage locations of their own there, including a marina-type GE near Uniontown.
That will come later. The supermarkets have been kind of secondary on my last couple of trips to Pittsburgh, which have focused on (relatively big announcement) buying a second home there. Which should give the site more geographical texture in coming years.
jimbobga
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Re: Road Trip Photos

Post by jimbobga »

I could be totally wrong on this one, but the St. Albans Fas-Chek looks identical to the first Heck's discount store that opened in Bluefield, WV. in the early sixties, right down to the color of the brick. It's hard to tell how large this store is, but the early Heck's stores were about the same size as the supermarkets of that era, so it's a possibility.
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Re: Road Trip Photos

Post by maynesG »

Hi,The photo of the possible former Acme in Charleston couldn!t be one.Acme didn!t venture that far into West Virgina. But from the back it sure looks like and old A Frame Acme.
The other possible Acme in pa sure was one .It is and A frame Acme and I have worked in many of them over the last two decades or so. If you look at the peak of the frontwindow in the interior photo you will see a triangular box, When this store was new a colored window, similar to stained glass ,had pictures of fruits , vegetables and meat items.
A perfect example of this isthe closed Acme in Parksburgh PA.Acme closed but for what ever reason thewindows are uncovered and this glass is still visable and verry beautiful.
Acme had stores in Berkley and Jefferson counties in West Virgina. Acmealsohad stores in North Hampton and Accormack Counties
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