Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

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

Moderator: Groceteria

maynesG
Veteran
Posts: 322
Joined: 22 Aug 2007 17:03
Location: DELAWARE

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by maynesG »

Hi,
The A&P/ Thriftway was torn down to build the Acme. So, I guess that answers that part of the mystery for you. I was told the Food Fair was upstairs many times but at this point I am not sure where.
Hope it helps! Gerry
User avatar
MikeRa
Veteran
Posts: 148
Joined: 02 Mar 2008 20:55
Location: Bensalem, PA
Contact:

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by MikeRa »

JoshAustin610 wrote:I've been confused for a while with the Valley Forge Shopping Center in King of Prussia; I know there were at certain points an A&P, a Food Fair (which coexisted), a W.T. Grant, and the Eric theater. I've been told so many different things as to what used to be what. Currently there's the Bed Bath & Beyond spot, a two-story spot that has Michael's on the top floor and the former CompUSA/ Steve & Barry's, on the bottom, and a spot that used to be Marshall's. There's also the K&G that's across the side street from BB&B (now called Town Center Rd, but may have just been part of the parking lot back then). I was told at one point that the Michael's/ S&B two-story spot was the W.T. Grant, and told on separate occasions that the Marshall's and the BB&B were the Food Fair. I still can't figure out where the A&P was. I've also been told the Marshall's was the Eric, with extra screens added in what's now the K&G. Can anyone explain exactly what was where? At this point I have pictures of all of these on my Flickr, and I'd really like to finally label them properly. :)
The 4 screen "Queen" is the K&G, and Michaels is the old King Twin. There is a picture in the book "King of Prussia Then and Now" that shows the Food Fair next to the King Theatre, and the Bed Bath & Beyonnd next to Michael's.
Ephrata1966
Veteran
Posts: 550
Joined: 29 Nov 2008 13:45

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by Ephrata1966 »

I am surprised this center is called "Valley Forge", being in the heart of King of Prussia, Montgomery County. Valley Forge is in Chester County. There was an A&P in Valley Forge in Gateway Shopping Center. Despite its name, that center never had a Gateway computer store. It did have an early Circuit City which is now a Staples. The Centennial A&P became a Super Fresh, and was replaced by the current Super Fresh/Pathmark Sav-a-Center nearby. Circuit City also relocated here and is now empty. The A&P is now a T.J. Maxx.

The shopping center in King of Prussia also has a Starbucks that was one of the first Arby's. All they did was paint the roof from red to green!

But MikeRa, do you have any idea what the old Pizza Hut here is now? There was an old "red roof" in the parking lot until about 10 years ago. It had a really interesting pylon sign. The place appears to have been demolished, but I am not 100% sure.
maynesG
Veteran
Posts: 322
Joined: 22 Aug 2007 17:03
Location: DELAWARE

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by maynesG »

Hi, AS LONG AS THE GRIEF IS GOOD I CAN LIVE WITH IT! However I believe that you are confusing me. If you are speaking of the Acme that was built in the early 60!s that was located in downtown Media across the street and down about a block or two from the A&P/ Thriftway it closed in the mis 80!s. It had white framed windows .
And yes the original Acme in the Mall closed and was nocked down I believe in the late 80!s . T^he current store is a replacement store, The overtime I made in that store helped pay for my above Ground Pool.
Gerry
Ephrata1966
Veteran
Posts: 550
Joined: 29 Nov 2008 13:45

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by Ephrata1966 »

Nothing wrong Gerry. I had no idea about that Acme in my own local mall! Do you remember approximately when it moved? And what is there now? I lived in Jersey until 1991.

I am really wondering now if the beer store (in back of the current store) was once a PA liquor store.

But I am also wondering when the Acme at the other end of Media opened. This is the one on Baltimore Pike between 252/Providence Road and Beatty Road. As I recall it used to look like a 70's Acme. So perhaps the downtown Media Acme co-existed with this one?

Anyway, I keep seeing Genuardi's ads on this forum. That is the strangest thing since they just closed the Newtown Square, Glen Mills, Chesterbrook, and Voorhees stores.
JoshAustin610
Contributor
Posts: 49
Joined: 26 Feb 2009 22:03

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by JoshAustin610 »

Thanks for the King of Prussia info; Bed Bath & Beyond makes the most sense as the Food Fair, although looking at it from bird's eye view it looks like it was expanded on the right and the back over the years. So if Michael's was the theater, what would the Marshall's have been? Is that the W.T. Grant, or was that directly under the theater (meaning it would only have been one floor)?

I always thought "Valley Forge" referred to that overall area from King of Prussia out to Wayne, much like how Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton is the Lehigh Valley. I still don't know where exactly the "Oxford Valley" is though. :)
maynesG
Veteran
Posts: 322
Joined: 22 Aug 2007 17:03
Location: DELAWARE

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by maynesG »

Hi, I guess its a sign of the times. Safeway clossing Chesterbrook and the other stores last week. The one in Chesterbrook was a great store at one time. It was neet, that it was built to serve that development. So, that once you were home you did not have to do battle with
202 to your groceries, dry cleaning or other basics of life. I think they called it a planed community when it opened.
Death by Walmart in King of Prussia more then likely
User avatar
MikeRa
Veteran
Posts: 148
Joined: 02 Mar 2008 20:55
Location: Bensalem, PA
Contact:

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by MikeRa »

JoshAustin610 wrote:Thanks for the King of Prussia info; Bed Bath & Beyond makes the most sense as the Food Fair, although looking at it from bird's eye view it looks like it was expanded on the right and the back over the years. So if Michael's was the theater, what would the Marshall's have been? Is that the W.T. Grant, or was that directly under the theater (meaning it would only have been one floor)?

I always thought "Valley Forge" referred to that overall area from King of Prussia out to Wayne, much like how Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton is the Lehigh Valley. I still don't know where exactly the "Oxford Valley" is though. :)
"Oxford Valley" is also called "Langhorne" since it's served by the Langhorne US Post Office. The area is actually Middletown Township, Bucks County.
User avatar
MikeRa
Veteran
Posts: 148
Joined: 02 Mar 2008 20:55
Location: Bensalem, PA
Contact:

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by MikeRa »

JoshAustin610 wrote:Thanks for the King of Prussia info; Bed Bath & Beyond makes the most sense as the Food Fair, although looking at it from bird's eye view it looks like it was expanded on the right and the back over the years. So if Michael's was the theater, what would the Marshall's have been? Is that the W.T. Grant, or was that directly under the theater (meaning it would only have been one floor)?

I always thought "Valley Forge" referred to that overall area from King of Prussia out to Wayne, much like how Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton is the Lehigh Valley. I still don't know where exactly the "Oxford Valley" is though. :)
I just looked on Historical Aerials.com, and just discovered that the Bed Bath & Beyond was the org. A&P Food Market, and the Marshalls was the Food Fair. The King Twin Theatre was demolished and replaced by smaller stores. That would make the Michael's Crafts the location of W. T. Grant.

The A&P and the stores to the left of it was the org. part of the Shopping Center. The W. T. Grant, Food Fair, and Sam Shapiro's Eric King Theatre were added in 1963.
JoshAustin610
Contributor
Posts: 49
Joined: 26 Feb 2009 22:03

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by JoshAustin610 »

Thanks again for the info; I hadn't been to historicaerials.com before. It really is amazing; it even looks like the A&P had a Colonial front at one point! I also discovered that the Acme at 6601 Roosevelt Blvd in northeast Philly was actually a newer construction; the Food Fair that was originally there was up closer to the road in what's now Acme's parking lot.
User avatar
MikeRa
Veteran
Posts: 148
Joined: 02 Mar 2008 20:55
Location: Bensalem, PA
Contact:

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by MikeRa »

JoshAustin610 wrote:Thanks again for the info; I hadn't been to historicaerials.com before. It really is amazing; it even looks like the A&P had a Colonial front at one point! I also discovered that the Acme at 6601 Roosevelt Blvd in northeast Philly was actually a newer construction; the Food Fair that was originally there was up closer to the road in what's now Acme's parking lot.
And the CVS that's across the street from Acme Sav-on there was the org. Acme Markets building.
neil mcauliffe
Contributor
Posts: 29
Joined: 19 Jan 2006 19:10

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by neil mcauliffe »

Acme #1558 was located at 1305 West Main Street, Norristown, PA.

There was another Acme #1755 but the only address I have is W. Germantown Pike, Norristown , PA.
neil mcauliffe
Contributor
Posts: 29
Joined: 19 Jan 2006 19:10

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by neil mcauliffe »

The supermarket that was located within the Plymouth Meeting Mall was a Food Fair later converted to Pantry Pride. I think but I'm not positive they closed it in the 70s before the chain went bankrupt. I worked for the company in the late 60s and by then they had soured on the idea of stores within malls.
neil mcauliffe
Contributor
Posts: 29
Joined: 19 Jan 2006 19:10

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by neil mcauliffe »

The original Food Fair at 6601 Roosevelt Boulevard was located close to the road. It was probably built around 1950 with the classic brick Food Fair tower. It closed around 1970 and sat vacant for awhile. When FF announced plans for the new store the neighbors were initially not happy because they thought it was too close to their homes. It was worked out and the new store was built and the old one demolished. When FF went bankrupt and their stores were auctioned Acme grabbed that location (also Pennypack Circle). I think Acme has rebuilt the store a couple of times.

The old Acme is now the CVS store.
User avatar
MikeRa
Veteran
Posts: 148
Joined: 02 Mar 2008 20:55
Location: Bensalem, PA
Contact:

Re: Acme and Philadelphia area shopping centers

Post by MikeRa »

neil mcauliffe wrote:The original Food Fair at 6601 Roosevelt Boulevard was located close to the road. It was probably built around 1950 with the classic brick Food Fair tower. It closed around 1970 and sat vacant for awhile. When FF announced plans for the new store the neighbors were initially not happy because they thought it was too close to their homes. It was worked out and the new store was built and the old one demolished. When FF went bankrupt and their stores were auctioned Acme grabbed that location (also Pennypack Circle). I think Acme has rebuilt the store a couple of times.

The old Acme is now the CVS store.
the only part of the Acme Sav-on at Roosevelt Boulevard and Harbinson avenue that i can tell was rebuilt was the front singage area, rebuilt from the "Acme Super Saver" design to one that has been used by Shop 'n Save in St. Louis.

The Food Fair/Pantry Pride/Acme at Roosevelt Blvd and Solly Avenue was demolished and replaced by the modern day Acme Sav-on. This location does not have the Sav-on name on the front of the building, but it does have it on the interior.
Post Reply