Thursday, March 28, 2019

The Great American Collection of Obscure Food Stores

With all the required material gathered, it is time to archive the obscurity of the Great American Food Stores.

PRATTSVILLE

  • Dates Visited: March 1, 2018 and September 4, 2019; amended September 5, 2025
  • Still Operating as of posting: Yes
  • Operator: Jim Eisel, Jr.



This is not the original exterior. Was partially renovated after 2006 and before 2011. Originally looked like this.


Red Technibilt shopping carts from 2004 here.


Amazing that this vintage interior survived Hurricane Irene, considering the entire interior was flooded.





2007 Tote Cart Model 1212, originally from Slater's Marketplace. Source unknown.


Around 2020, this store got new signage. Not exactly an interesting sign choice. Also, this store has got a few grey 2005 Technibilt 3241 carts, blocked in by a safety cone.


WEST WINFIELD

  • Date of Visit: May 21, 2018
  • Still Operating as of posting: No. Store closed February 28, 2019. More on that in a future blog post.
  • Operator: B&K






Former Commissary Technibilt, manufactured in 2008.



Foodking? What was it? It was clearly still around in 1995.


Dollar Zone of Best Yet products.


Great American Technibilt from 2005.


BOONVILLE
  • Date of Visit: June 29, 2018
  • Still Operating as of posting: No. Closed June 8, 2019.
  • Operator: L.K.R. Enterprises (Lockwood Family)



Quite the Americana sign!


Express carts have red trim. Technibilt model 5341.


Regular carts have green trim. The model is 2638.


Sticker shows a date of what appears to be 2/16/10.



Sun shines on this child-sized cart, that is probably older than the Technibilt units.


Deli barn


Frozen foods


Dairy


Strange display for prepackaged baked goods.


SIDNEY
  • Date of Visit: September 18, 2018
  • Still Operating as of posting: No. Closed in November of 2022.
  • Operator: B&K


Rather dark exterior shot.







The classic round air diffuser seen in several locations.


GREENE (VILLAGE)
  • Date of Visit: September 26, 2018
  • Still operating as of posting: No. Closed in April of 2023
  • Operator: Unknown


This quaint little store has a nice postcard mural painted on the side of the building. Interestingly, this store has a massive parking lot despite its size. UPDATE: the pale yellow areas of the exterior were painted red and a Tractor Supply store was built in the back of the parking lot.






This Technibilt was manufactured in 2010.


WATERTOWN
  • Date of Visit: October 11, 2018
  • Still Operating as of posting: No. Closed November 5, 2019
  • Operator: L.K.R. Enterprises (Lockwood Family)


This store was quite sad and run-down. According to people who commented on a news article relating to this store getting a barbecue and ice cream snack shack, this store originally opened as a Loblaws in the 1950s, and at some point, transitioning into Victory Markets/Great American.









STAR LAKE
  • Dates Visited: February 6th and the 28th of March 2019.
  • Still Operating as of posting: No. Closed November 5, 2019
  • Operator: L.K.R. Enterprises (Lockwood Family)


This store is the newest in the Great American family. Was previously Padgett's, an IGA franchise which closed in April 2016 due to poor sales. The Lockwood Family, which owns the Boonville and Watertown locations, opened this store in July of the same year.


It is clear all fixtures from IGA were left behind, as evidenced by some of the aisle markers still having IGA logos.


The sign reads "'Butcher Block Meats."


This aisle marker has Great American decals on it.


Initially thought these were Tote Carts, but are actually old United Steel & Wire units. The cutout in the front is a good indicator. And yes, I am utilizing re-usable bags.


MFG. info, which lists the model and pat. no.


Aisle 5, also with Great American decals.


Bag Time!

Bags vary from operator to operator. Here is what I have so far:


Used by the B&K stores.


Used by the Lockwood-owned stores. Strange that the Best Yet nameplate even applies to shopping bags.


To wrap up this post, please feel free to comment! Feedback is greatly appreciated!

- Retail Regents

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Rite Aid to Walgreens Conversion: East Greenbush, NY

Consider this to be an update to a June 2018 blog post about this Rite Aid.


The blue awning has been stripped off and there is red trim. I thought when I did my first post they might have been in the middle of updating this store to the Wellness store type, but you will see what really happened.


Walgreens will be coming soon. Remembering what happened to the Ridge Road location in Greece, NY, we know what the finished conversion might look like.


Alas, nothing has changed. When this store got the Wellness treatment, the remodel was never completed. Note the pale blue tiles to the left and Customer World-era gooseneck signs.


Didn't realize I photographed this aisle marker in the previous post! This time, the Food Mart is visible.

Three months later...



One side has no signage but one has signage?


Hmm... a bad tape job AND a Walgreens-labeled handle? What a twist!



Same flooring, new fixtures and decor.

That wraps this post up. Out!

Monday, March 4, 2019

From the Archives: Kmarts are Falling (#3396 and #7044)

Here are two other Kmart stores that have since closed, one in April and the other in December 2018.


Big Kmart #7044


  • Location: Plattsburgh, New York (Champlain Centre South)
  • Date Covered: February 21, 2018
  • Coverage Type: Liquidation


2010 Technibilt #3440.


Technibilt #5341.


Exterior. This Kmart originally opened in 1975 as a mall anchor for Pyramid Mall, later Champlain Centre South. This exterior was added when the mall was demolished in 2000.


Little Caesars no more.





Escaped Bed Bath & Beyond carts from the nearby store made it into the Kmart. This one is a Rehrig Vista, circa early to mid 2000s.


Restrooms. Appears to have updated around the time the mall was demolished. There are three cubicles in total.


3.5 gpf Kohler Wellcomme toilet. The only toilet not to be overrated low-flow junk. Manufactured c. 1985-1987 due to this one having a drop-shadow K on the back of the bowl.



The first thing to go is the pharmacy. Wouldn't be surprised if this was already gone before the liquidation.


Big Kmart #3396

  • Location: Poughkeepsie, New York (Dutchess Center)
  • Date Covered: April 4, 2018
  • Coverage Type: Operational


Exterior. Store was originally a Grants before becoming a Kmart.


2009 Technibilt #3440 with a map holder that became obsolete fairly quickly.


Instore X4, possibly originating from a Canadian retailer re-used by Big Lots. BL is across the street, and even they have some escaped Kmart carts. And yes, I did use this cart in the Kmart.


Possibly another Peggs unit, and possibly newer than the Technibilt units. Looks a lot nicer too.


Corral with a badly rendered Big Kmart logo.


Nasty, worn Peggs KNM200 that has no place at this store. And why all the fading?