With the year (and decade) ending, let's go over to the best and worst of retail in 2019.
Liquidation Coverage: Big Kmart #9274
January 30, 2019
Liquidation Coverage: Kmart #4928
January 30, 2019
I will still never understand why the logo was changed at this location, but not at other locations.
February 6 and March 28, 2019
NOTE: This store, as well as the Watertown location (both Lockwood owned) closed in November of this year.
This store used to be Padgett's (an IGA affiliate), and hence had IGA signage. Also note the change in ceiling, from standard drop ceiling tile to square asbestos tile.
Old United Steel & Wire carts with an unknown MFG. date and also unlabeled, possibly original to the store.
At the time, this store was in the beginning stages of the conversion, with the awning removed.
Not so Wellness, huh? Customer World decor is additionally present.
Only one side has the Walgreens Pharmacy signage.
Rehrig shopping cart with the Rite Aid logos taped over and the generic handle inserts were replaced with Technibilt ones with Walgreens logos. All Rehrigs in Rite Aid to Walgreens conversions get this treatment.
Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: Hudson, NY
March 25, 2019 and June 18, 2019
During the conversion to Walgreens, they kept their purpose-built building operating while converting the Eckerd/Rite Aid next door. This would soon close in June in favor of the converted Eckerd/Rite Aid.
The purpose-built building after Walgreens vacated it in favor of the converted Eckerd/Rite Aid.
Post-conversion. Still dons Rite Aid's Wellness paint job and Eckerd's Drive Thru Pharmacy signage.
This cart would have came from the purpose-built location as it's not one of the carts Rite Aid uses, and Walgreens generally does not order new carts for the newly-converted stores. Manufacturer unknown; possibly refurbished.
Former Eckerd carts that have been converted by Rite Aid and eventually Walgreens.
Relocation Coverage: ShopRite of Hudson, NY
March 25, 2019
Old location. ShopRite moved out of this location on December 1, 2018 in favor of the former Price Chopper in the Fairview Plaza, which they opened the following day.
New location, opened December 2, 2018. Price Chopper closed September 15, 2018 due to poor sales. ShopRite replaced the clear glass with an American flag mural.
Post-Closure/Walgreens Conversion: Oneida, NY
April 12, 2019
As a result of the Rite Aid nearly across the street being converted, this one in the Glenwood Shopping Center has closed. This one was an Eckerd converted to Rite Aid, and potentially a Fay's like many shopping center Eckerds.
Previously Rite Aid #755, this is now a Walgreens. This exterior is probably nicer than what we will see inside.
Lots of exposed blue tiles from fixtures being replaced during the conversion.
ALDI Rebuilds: Ilion, NY
April 25, 2019
The empty space seen here is where the old ALDI was, now empty space and part of the new one's parking lot.
Absurd Cart Finds: Archaic Walmart and Save-a-Lot Carts
May 3, 2019
Both of these carts were in the ditch at the end of the parking lot of the now former Save-a-Lot in Amsterdam, NY. The Save-a-Lot one (top) is a Tote Cart 1616, dated 3-95 and the Walmart one (bottom) is a Unarco U90PS, dated 4-03.
Openings: Dollar General Outside Galway, NY
May 13, 2019
Road sign.
Dollar General opened this location February 16, 2019.
Post-Closures: OfficeMax in Greece, NY
May 22, 2019
Absurd Cart Finds: Potential Former Marshalls Carts
June 4, 2019
These were lined up outside Pure Hockey, part of Clifton Crossing.
Classic McDonald's: Troy-Schenectady Road in Latham, NY
June 4, 2019
This 1976-built location is located at 1122 Troy-Schenectady Road in Latham, NY. Interior is as classic as the exterior is. It is only a matter of time before it gets rebuilt in the so-called "Forever Young" style.
Unusual Discoveries: Leftover Grand Union Sticker
June 4, 2019
This was on the former right-hand entrance of the Grand Union turned Ocean State Job Lot in Ballston Spa, NY, which currently functions as an emergency exit.
Remodel Samples: Target of Colonie, NY
June 18, 2019
This P97-styled Target originally opened in 2000. One of those with a red facade with an off-center bullseye logo.
Post-Closures: Bed Bath & Beyond in Schenectady, NY
June 18, 2019
This location closed at the end of 2018.
ALDI Rebuilds: Saranac Lake, NY
June 21, 2019
Technically another 2018 rebuild, this replaced an ALDI which opened which opened out of a former Chevrolet dealership which could not be structually modified to ALDI's standards.
Remodels: Tops of Saranac Lake, NY (Franklin County)
June 21, 2019
This was not a gutting remodel, so it may still look vintage.
Vintage restroom that unusually has a window. Not ADA accessible like the Essex County location.
'Standard' Tribor toilet that has a green logo, suggesting this is in the 1953-1959 range and this building was likely built around that time. This is the only original fixture in the restroom.
Good riddance to that awful brown paint job.
New decor on the walls and aisle markers.
Replaced a different set of black shopping carts which in turn replaced mid-2000s Unarcos. Like the other black set, these are recycled carts that were fully refurbished to disguise their origins.
This cart is undeniably a United Steel & Wire product. Definitely older since it doesn't appear to have a model no. labeled. Date was unreadable due to the black powder coating.
Openings: The Great Outdoors RV Superstore (Clay, NY)
June 28, 2019
Location opened in January 2019.
In the vestibule, they opted to use 10 of the former Toys Я Us shopping carts.
The Toys Я Us logos were covered up with stickers bearing the name of their new owner.
This is just the sales area. Didn't feel like venturing into the RV area.
Absurd Cart Finds: A.C. Moore carts in Latham
July 10, 2019
These replaced a set of dark grey Rehrigs and pale red Good L. Corp carts.
These logos almost blend in, but are still decals.
This is the absurd part. The square box looks to be in the form a Target Guest Card (now known as REDcard). If this is actually what it is, this set of carts may be the most unusual set of Target carts since they have square fronts and have plastic racks, which are not typical for older Target carts.
The original logo on the front is filed off, meaning this has also been acquired. Most likely a former Walmart cart as another A.C. Moore location had confirmed Walmart carts.
Abandoned: Old Target Basket
July 10, 2019
This was photographed upside-down at the Market Bistro in Latham.
Post-Closures: Save-a-Lot in Amsterdam, NY
July 10, 2019
Closed without warning. Closing date was not public knowledge. Still dons its signage. UPDATE: signage has been removed as of February 2023.
Openings: Dollar General in West Winfield, NY
July 14, 2019
This Dollar General opened June 29, 2019 in the former Great American Food Store, which closed February 28, 2019.
Remodels: Walmart #2285 - Herkimer, NY
July 14, 2019
Absurd Cart Finds: Home Depot Rehrig
August 16, 2019
This was an only cart in a fleet of more typical Technibilt 3439s and JM Romo 40454s.
New Carts: Sam's Club's New Precision Wire Carts
August 16, 2019
The Sam's Club in Latham ordered a set of new Precision Wire carts to replace a set of Unarco M170Zs, which they still have, a few lines down.
Remodel Samples: ShopRite of New Paltz, NY
August 22, 2019
The ancient SHOP RITE wordmark was removed and had its logo replaced with the standard ShopRite logo. Doesn't affect the interior.
Absurd Cart Finds: Three-Way Reuse
August 22, 2019
In the junk line of the New Paltz ShopRite, accompanied by metal carts is this ex-Walmart cart. Originally manufactured in May 2000 (5-00) and refurbished later.
Tops? What store even used this? The one down the road has black Instores and probably never used these at any point.
Apparently after Walmart, it was used by Stop & Shop. Which location is unknown.
Absurd Cart Finds: Disguised Walmart Cart
August 22, 2019
In the junk line at the Kingston, NY location, there's this cart, dated 8-04, which made the black ShopRite decal suspicious.
For some reason, this store put an aftermarket seat flap on this cart with a ShopRite logo on it.
Peeled back, a clear as day Walmart logo and Always slogan is present. This logo was originally in black ink.
Absurd Cart Finds: Cart Graveyard and a United #336
August 22, 2019
In a graveyard full of broken all-plastic Bemis carts were these chrome-framed United #336s and a Rehrig Vista well out of reach. This US&W #336 is dated 6-05.
Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: South Glens Falls, NY
August 26, 2019
Remodels: Walmart #4403 of Queensbury, NY
August 26, 2019
Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: Hudson Falls, NY (S)
August 29, 2019
This one is located at 92 Main St. Originally built for Fay's but opened as an Eckerd before becoming Rite Aid.
Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: Hudson Falls, NY (N)
August 29, 2019
Openings: Ollie's Bargain Outlet - Aviation Mall
August 29, 2019
Opened in half of the former Bon-Ton space on August 28th.
Absurd Cart Finds: Two of Five Green Rehrigs
September 3, 2019
In the North Troy Price Chopper, there were five of these green Rehrig Vistas. Three had Unarco flaps, one with a black aftermarket flap, and one without a flap. All had metal rear gates which are retrofits and only had Price Chopper Supermarkets logos. Why these made a return is unknown.
Relocations: Dollar Tree in Latham, NY
September 3 and December 6, 2019
Interior. Small and has no aisle markers.
New location. Originally Eckerd and later Rite Aid; Walgreens skipped over this location was well as the State St. and Altamont Ave. locations. Dollar Tree carved out a new entrance.
Still has the Eckerd lighting but had all the tile removed.
Post-Closures: Peebles in Troy, NY
September 3, 2019
Peebles closed this location on January 19, 2019.
Post-Closures: Peebles in Norwich, NY
September 12, 2019
Peebles closed this location on January 19, 2019.
Post-Closures: Save-a-Lot in Norwich, NY
September 12, 2019
In the same shopping center as the closed Peebles is this vacant Save-a-Lot still donning its signage. Closed February 1st.
Exterior Remodels: Hannaford of East Greenbush, NY
September 13, 2019
This Hannaford opted to remodel their store and modify the exterior significantly unlike the one in Amsterdam, which still has its Shop 'N Save exterior.
Retail Absurdities: Old ALDI with new logo in Rensselaer, NY
September 13, 2019
This ALDI has the current logo despite not being renovated. Normally these have the previous logo.
Repurposements: CVS in Guilderland, NY
September 13, 2019
This CVS was formerly a Rite Aid, presumably one of those sold to CVS in 2002.
Openings: Marshalls in Amsterdam, NY
September 13, 2019
Opened in the former Staples in the Amsterdam Commons.
Liquidation Coverage: Herb Philipson's of New Hartford, NY
September 16, 2019
Liquidation Coverage: Herb Philipson's of Herkimer, NY
September 18, 2019
Retail Absurdities: Rite Aid Donning Eckerd Decor
September 23, 2019
This Rite Aid is located on Grant Street in Auburn, NY.
Some of the interior decor was not removed during the conversion to Rite Aid.
Liquidation Coverage: Kmart #4034
September 23 and November 22, 2019
Absurd Cart Finds: Old Walmart Cart
September 30, 2019
This is not the first time a plastic Walmart cart has spawned at Walmart #2264.
Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: Johnstown, NY
October 7, 2019
Breaking the Wal-Mart: Relics Lost and Ruined
October 10 and 14, 2019
Wal-Mart #1610's original registers were replaced with a self-checkout bullpen, belted self-checkouts, and 6 manned registers.
Meaningless security gate was installed at the entrance. Pickup was walled off leaving a seating area rather than empty space.
Bag wheels! And new monitors.
Electronics was butchered badly, with the music section hanging behind the movies wall, in the actionway which still has tile border. Electronics of the Future and middle electronics are not compatible with each other.
Blandification: KOHL'S in Amsterdam, NY
October 21, 2019
KOHL'S has received a hideous grey paint job. Fortunately the Target isn't being remodeled so it didn't spread to the Target.
Disassociation: Herkimer ARC in Herkimer, NY
October 22, 2019
The Herkimer Area Resource Center has disassociated with Goodwill, but kept the thrift store.
Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: Herkimer, NY
October 22, 2019
Remodels: Walmart #2093 - Utica, NY
October 24, 2019
Apparently the Technibilt #6940 was facelifted. The one on the right reads "6" and "19" on the bottom.
ALDI Rebuilds: New Hartford, NY
October 24, 2019
The (not very) old store was razed in order to reconfigure the parking lot.
Liquidation Coverage: Goodwill of Amsterdam, NY
November 12, 2019
Store closed effectively December 13th.
Absurd Cart Finds: Ames cart at Family Dollar
November 22, 2019
This cart was in the fleet of Uniteds at the Family Dollar in East Syracuse, NY. Dated 11-89.
Absurd Cart Finds: Cart Graveyard in Fort Plain, NY
November 26, 2019
These 3 Unarco PC41Us are the latest in the graveyard of the Fort Plain, NY Save-a-Lot. The middle one is confusing as it is newer (dated 10-17) and grey.
Openings: Tractor Supply in Palatine Bridge, NY
November 26, 2019
This was originally Grand Union and later Ace Hardware.
The interior was completely gutted.
Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: Palatine Bridge, NY
November 26, 2019
Classics: Dollar Tree of Delmar, NY
December 6, 2019
This store still has the velvet molding and green-on-pink pastel paint scheme.
This store, unlike the Washington Mills location, has appropriately-aged shopping carts.
Absurd Cart Finds: Dollar Tree Cart Recycling
December 6, 2019
A particularly unusual set of carts for a Dollar Tree. Look closer...
... the Technibilt stickers reveal these are ex-ShopKo carts! A bit strange even Dollar Tree is ordering a former retailer's carts rather than ordering new!
Absurd Cart Finds: Walmart Cart at Target, With a Twist...
December 24, 2019
This older Walmart cart was at the Amsterdam, NY Target. Dated 10/25/06, origin unknown. Not sure if the Walmart across the way used these when they were still a D1 (they expanded to Supercenter in 2009).
It looks as if the logo was not filed off very well.
Well, if 2020 isn't going to be ghastly in terms of retail, I don't know what to tell you! See you next time!
- Retail Regents
