[BK31]

My work mostly consists of documenting existing retail spaces for new tenants to move into and every once in a while I get an interesting space to draw up that I can't figure out what it was. Maybe its because most of my work has been centered around the SE and Upper Midwest until recently, but the facade of this store didn't ring any bells for me. I didn't get to measure this one myself so I don't have much beyond the pictures and some general measurements, but I do know it was last used as a grocery store from the remnants of coolers and leftover refrigeration lines. The interior was mostly gutted but there is a white VCT floor with a grid of pink tiles every 3 feet or so in the outer areas that would've been Deli/Produce, etc and remnants of kelly green wall paint throughout the main sales floor. Here are a couple of exterior shots.


Anybody have any idea what this was?

[Groceteria]

I'm almost certain it's an A&P variant that probably last operated as a SuperFresh (and maybe opened as one).

[submariner]

I'm almost certain it's an A&P variant that probably last operated as a SuperFresh (and maybe opened as one).

I would agree with SuperFresh, and possibly even Sav-A-Center later in life... both used kelly green as their primary colors, both were A&P stores, and the facade is very characteristic of SuperFresh.

[BK31]

Good to know, thanks for your help. I doubt it will look like this for much longer since its the last area of this center to receive any kind of update. The new tenant will probably do away with the whole facade and put up some foam stucco monstrosity since it'll probably turn into some sort of department like clothing store.

[werememberretail]

I concure with the rest of the posters that it was 100% Indeed an late 80s-original Superfresh as this was the exact building style that A&P used for just about every new store during that prosperous period for the company. examples can be also seen in Bristol PA, A Baptist Church in North Philadelphia also was a former Superfresh/Thrift Drug combo. and Marlton Crossing New Jersey among other areas. These stores were all presumably built at the same time many as replacements for Centennial or older stores. as this was part of A&P's "Proud New Feeling" Campaign used between 1986 and 1990. these were an alteration of the old Futirestore fgrmat with the kelly green Sav-A=Center interior, one of my favorite store interiors. Sadly many of these store (Including every single one that I have mentioned) are no longer in business as A&Ps. (as many of these stores were themselves replaced with larger 55,000+ stores, many of THOSE failed or became the victims of A&P division pullouts) Interestingly that you mentioned that the store in the post will be turned/probably will be turned into a clothing or similar store as the Marlton Crossing NJ store was turned into a TJ Maxx

[klkla]

Definitely a SuperFresh. It's mentioned in this 1995 article of SuperMarket News.

http://subscribers.supermarketnews.com/ ... ter_surge/

From the article (which is actually about Walmart):

"In Culpeper, Wal-Mart's main competitors are Food Lion, Safeway and Super Fresh Food Market. All three are within a few miles of one another off the James Madison Highway, which leads through the center of town, and one operator -- Super Fresh -- is across the street in the Dominion Square shopping center."

[maynesG]

Hi, In Dover De on Route 10 you can see a fully functional Super Fresh with the same building style.

[Groceteria]

This is one I shot in Elkridge MD a few years ago (between Baltimore and Washington on US 1).