A GROCERY STOP WITH ABSURD CARTS AND OTHER LEFTOVERS
Location: Clyde, New York
This store was previously a Save-a-Lot, and P&C Foods before that. This is a deep-discount grocer, which functions like a closeout store with the items they sell, which are closeouts, factory overruns, warehouse-damages, and items close to their best-buy date. UPDATE: This store closed in August 2022.
Part of the fleet at Martin's Grocery Outlet consisted of these uncensored MJDesigns carts. It seems even the fixtures are themselves acquired.
2012 Price Chopper Unarco. This store is outside of Price Chopper territory.
2012 Save-a-Lot Unarco. This and the other carts were probably brought in from other stores.
These ex-Save-a-Lot units are the dominant model in the fleet. These had to have brought in another store since Save-a-Lot store opened this location in 2010 and the manufacturer of these carts went out of business in 2008.
This variant would have had a wordmark.
All of this decor was left over from Save-a-Lot and thus, rebranded.
Location: Canandaigua, New York
This paint job does not look nice with the exterior brickwork.
Location: Canandaigua, New York
The exterior of the Tops received a new paint job with a bronze trim color last year, but did that affect the interior? Let's go in and see...
...and it had no bearing on the interior! The Tops-logo aisle markers and unused Ahold decor is still here!
Location: Canandaigua, New York.
This, along with the Rome location are liquidating like many stores across the country.
Overall, this store was difficult to photograph as it was not only busy, but considerably cramped and tiny. Not a pleasant store to be in.
Location: Geneva, New York
When I was passing by on the way to Canandaigua, I wondered why the Big Lots logo on the road sign had a black background. Looking at the exterior logo and carts, we know why...
This store got the Store-of-the-Future treatment, with new linoleum flooring and wood accents and a new layout.
Location: Geneva, New York
Part of the former Tops got a second chance at life. This Dollar Tree is a replacement for an older freestanding building on Berry Farms Rd.
While the store got new carts, they transferred the plastic 2001 Uniteds from the old store.
This is a rather standard Dollar Tree interior, with nothing left over from Tops.
Location: Geneva, New York
The logo was updated last year.
Location: Waterloo, New York
Former Wholesale Depot cart, a Rehrig Scanner.
The main carts for customer use were these former Kmart carts, this one being a Technibilt from 2009. This cart was loud and screechy.
This is a former P&C Foods Unarco.
Location: Seneca Falls, New York
I'm not sure if this closed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic or prior to it, but they certainly closed this location quietly.
Location: Auburn, New York
Maxwell's Food Store has been in operation for the past 90 years, and is a family-run store currently owned by the third generation of the Maxwell family. They are currently the last family-owned grocery store in the area.
In another part of the store, in the cleaning supplies section were these vintage Nu-Way carts, manufactured by Folding Carrier Corporation. These most likely date back to the early 1950s as these did not have color-coded handles and have metal child seat flaps which are integrated into the frame.
In addition to the carts, they had these wonderful wire baskets manufactured by Kaspar Wire Works.
I took these last two pictures while waiting to check out (bought a bag of chips). At the time of my visit, I was the only customer in the store. Bobbie and Larry were working in deli, doing food prep at the time of my visit.
Location: Skaneateles, New York
Rather than just a bland peak-roofed building, this building almost looks like a historic inn.
Location: Skaneateles, New York
At one point or another, those Tops stores with ex-P&C carts are doomed to have at least one bearing the P&C Foods name at some point or another. At this store, they have distinct Tote Cart-style carts rather than their usual Technibilt carts.
... no. Inside we have a decor package most retail fans don't know about, but has been plastered all over Facebook and Google pages. This decor package is very minimalist, with blue text and a pictogram on a white backdrop.
I believe this was here prior to remodeling as it uses the Myriad font.
As par for the course with these recent remodels, the flooring is becoming more uniform, with the removal of the laminated woodgrain in apparel (and even the vestibule tile!). Notice the unsightly marks left from the woodgrain flooring.
While it may vary from store to store, this one has only the top of the aisle toppers yellow while the rest of the backdrop is white like the primary signage. Also, the backdrop for the rest of the sign is blue with white text.
Deli, to which someone referred to the pictogram as tupperware. Also the pickup tower is present in the background.
This full-blue wall color and slogans were carried over from the last decor package. Also note the "o" is missing.
As this store is a work in progress, the pharmacy still has yet to be updated.
Location: Baldwinsville, New York
This was built as a replica of a 1950s McDonald's. Rather than rebuild it as a bland box, they fully updated the interior and repainted the exterior in a disgusting charcoal black with grey and replaced the logo with a modern one.
Location: Baldwinsville, New York
This was a former Rite Aid that was vacant for many years. Knowing there is a Rite Aid further down Downer St. that is in a former Eckerd, it is likely Rite Aid closed this store shortly after the Eckerd acquisition.
Location: Baldwinsville, New York
Like many Central New York locations, this was a P&C Foods location.
One thing I did not expect would be seeing a Tops store with newer Unarco carts. While these were dated 1-19, they must have been delivered here fairly recently as they had very little scuffing and still had a new cart shine to them. The Tops Markets name in the Verdana typeface seems a little vapid and sort of takes away any semblance of identity. The model was labeled as M90UZ.
Tops did remodel a few of these stores to make them feel less dated like a lot of other P&C conversions. Unfortunately, many of those still exist.
I believe this was closed for the night. This was the last picture taken on this trip.
Like last time, typing up this post felt as time-consuming as the trip itself! See you all next time.
- Retail Regents
2012 Price Chopper Unarco. This store is outside of Price Chopper territory.
2012 Save-a-Lot Unarco. This and the other carts were probably brought in from other stores.
These ex-Save-a-Lot units are the dominant model in the fleet. These had to have brought in another store since Save-a-Lot store opened this location in 2010 and the manufacturer of these carts went out of business in 2008.
This variant would have had a wordmark.
All of this decor was left over from Save-a-Lot and thus, rebranded.
DISRESPECTFUL PAINTJOBS
Location: Canandaigua, New York
This paint job does not look nice with the exterior brickwork.
UPDATE OR NOT?
Location: Canandaigua, New York
The exterior of the Tops received a new paint job with a bronze trim color last year, but did that affect the interior? Let's go in and see...
...and it had no bearing on the interior! The Tops-logo aisle markers and unused Ahold decor is still here!
LIQUIDATION HELL
Location: Canandaigua, New York.
This, along with the Rome location are liquidating like many stores across the country.
Overall, this store was difficult to photograph as it was not only busy, but considerably cramped and tiny. Not a pleasant store to be in.
SotF'D
Location: Geneva, New York
When I was passing by on the way to Canandaigua, I wondered why the Big Lots logo on the road sign had a black background. Looking at the exterior logo and carts, we know why...
This store got the Store-of-the-Future treatment, with new linoleum flooring and wood accents and a new layout.
COMING BACK TO LIFE
Location: Geneva, New York
Part of the former Tops got a second chance at life. This Dollar Tree is a replacement for an older freestanding building on Berry Farms Rd.
While the store got new carts, they transferred the plastic 2001 Uniteds from the old store.
This is a rather standard Dollar Tree interior, with nothing left over from Tops.
LOGO UPDATE
Location: Geneva, New York
The logo was updated last year.
HARDWARE HORRORS
Location: Waterloo, New York
Former Wholesale Depot cart, a Rehrig Scanner.
The main carts for customer use were these former Kmart carts, this one being a Technibilt from 2009. This cart was loud and screechy.
This is a former P&C Foods Unarco.
SALVATION ARMY NO MORE
Location: Seneca Falls, New York
I'm not sure if this closed as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic or prior to it, but they certainly closed this location quietly.
PURE VINTAGENESS
Location: Auburn, New York
Maxwell's Food Store has been in operation for the past 90 years, and is a family-run store currently owned by the third generation of the Maxwell family. They are currently the last family-owned grocery store in the area.
In another part of the store, in the cleaning supplies section were these vintage Nu-Way carts, manufactured by Folding Carrier Corporation. These most likely date back to the early 1950s as these did not have color-coded handles and have metal child seat flaps which are integrated into the frame.
In addition to the carts, they had these wonderful wire baskets manufactured by Kaspar Wire Works.
MORE THAN JUST A DRUGSTORE
Location: Skaneateles, New York
Rather than just a bland peak-roofed building, this building almost looks like a historic inn.
ARE WE AT TOPS OR P&C?!
Location: Skaneateles, New York
At one point or another, those Tops stores with ex-P&C carts are doomed to have at least one bearing the P&C Foods name at some point or another. At this store, they have distinct Tote Cart-style carts rather than their usual Technibilt carts.
A NEW WALMART DECOR PACKAGE
Location: Camillus, New York
So far, it looks like an Impact store does it? Well...
... no. Inside we have a decor package most retail fans don't know about, but has been plastered all over Facebook and Google pages. This decor package is very minimalist, with blue text and a pictogram on a white backdrop.
I believe this was here prior to remodeling as it uses the Myriad font.
As par for the course with these recent remodels, the flooring is becoming more uniform, with the removal of the laminated woodgrain in apparel (and even the vestibule tile!). Notice the unsightly marks left from the woodgrain flooring.
While it may vary from store to store, this one has only the top of the aisle toppers yellow while the rest of the backdrop is white like the primary signage. Also, the backdrop for the rest of the sign is blue with white text.
Deli, to which someone referred to the pictogram as tupperware. Also the pickup tower is present in the background.
This full-blue wall color and slogans were carried over from the last decor package. Also note the "o" is missing.
As this store is a work in progress, the pharmacy still has yet to be updated.
RUINOUS REMODEL
Location: Baldwinsville, New York
This was built as a replica of a 1950s McDonald's. Rather than rebuild it as a bland box, they fully updated the interior and repainted the exterior in a disgusting charcoal black with grey and replaced the logo with a modern one.
NOT FOOLING ANYBODY
Location: Baldwinsville, New York
This was a former Rite Aid that was vacant for many years. Knowing there is a Rite Aid further down Downer St. that is in a former Eckerd, it is likely Rite Aid closed this store shortly after the Eckerd acquisition.
A REMODEL WITH A SIDE OF FRESH CARTS
Location: Baldwinsville, New York
Like many Central New York locations, this was a P&C Foods location.
One thing I did not expect would be seeing a Tops store with newer Unarco carts. While these were dated 1-19, they must have been delivered here fairly recently as they had very little scuffing and still had a new cart shine to them. The Tops Markets name in the Verdana typeface seems a little vapid and sort of takes away any semblance of identity. The model was labeled as M90UZ.
Tops did remodel a few of these stores to make them feel less dated like a lot of other P&C conversions. Unfortunately, many of those still exist.
A DUSKY CONCLUSION
I believe this was closed for the night. This was the last picture taken on this trip.
Like last time, typing up this post felt as time-consuming as the trip itself! See you all next time.
- Retail Regents
