Possible former Food Fair

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

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Ephrata1966
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Possible former Food Fair

Post by Ephrata1966 »

The Acme in Newtown Square, PA opened in 1960. A few stores down, there looks like what was a Food Fair. Is this even possible? It appears to be subdivided into True Value and Thrift Drug/Eckerd/Rite Aid.

address: 3568 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, PA 19073

The store looks very similar to this: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ei2Ik5quiI0/R ... +1960a.JPG

The square spaces would have been filled in with red brick, the fluorescent lights appear to be gone, and Eckerd added a new facade to their portion.

also compare the store to this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62355920@N ... 211788677/

and maybe this: http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a175/ ... dFair1.jpg
Last edited by Ephrata1966 on 17 Jul 2010 21:00, edited 2 times in total.
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Groceteria
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Re: Acme--right smack next to Food Fair?

Post by Groceteria »

Ephrata1966 wrote:The Acme in Newtown Square, PA opened in 1960. A few stores down, there looks like what was a Food Fair. Is this even possible?
Two supermarket anchors in one center was not at all unusual in the 1950s and 1960s, and was a rather common arrangement. There is a thread here on this phenomenon:

http://www.groceteria.com/board/viewtop ... f=2&t=1155
Ephrata1966
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Re: Acme--right smack next to Food Fair?

Post by Ephrata1966 »

I'm not sure this was a Food Fair. I have my doubts, and I think Pleasant Family Shopping would have mentioned it if there were one. Joshaustin610 on Flickr would have probably discovered it too. Just my speculation.
maynesG
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Re: Acme--right smack next to Food Fair?

Post by maynesG »

Hi, I have been in and out of that Acme many times and I have also wondered if that harware store could have been aFood Fair or maybe a Penn Fruit . I never ran into any one who could give me and answer. I would love to know!
JoshAustin610
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Re: Possible former Food Fair

Post by JoshAustin610 »

Looking at Live Maps, it looks like Acme was originally all the way to the right of the shopping center and eventually expanded left, based on the location of the pointed roof. This meant there would have been more stores between the two. I read that the Acme may be a relocation from down the street (3721 West Chester Pike, now a Mattress Giant). Maybe Food Fair was there first, and Acme relocated to the far end a little later?

Josh
JoshAustin610
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Re: Possible former Food Fair

Post by JoshAustin610 »

I believe I may have solved the mystery; the Rite Aid/ True Value building looks like it was a W.T. Grant. Compare it to my picture here of the W.T. Grant in Pottsville, which also used to have an Acme a few stores down (now demolished for a Weis): http://www.flickr.com/photos/62355920@N00/4294839591 . I've also noticed the Staples in the Andorra Shopping Center in Roxborough looks like the same type of building, and that also is right near an Acme! The building's facade definitely resembles Food Fair's though. It's possible the Thrift Drug relocated into the building as long ago as the late 70s (the W.T. Grant in Easton became a relocation for Rea & Derick in 1984).
Ephrata1966
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Re: Possible former Food Fair

Post by Ephrata1966 »

The Rite Aid has recently relocated across the street. Perhaps some unique Grants traces that had been otherwise hidden for the last 35+ years will be uncovered during construction performed for the next tenant of this half, whoever it may be?
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