Morris Plains residents have shopped at ACME since the Carter administration. But they may need to find another grocery store for the Biden years.
An ACME spokesperson on Monday confirmed online chatter that the store’s days at 329 Speedwell Ave. are numbered.
“ACME has been notified that our landlord is looking to go into another direction. We have nothing to report at this time and will continue to operate business as usual,” said Dana Ward, who could not elaborate on the landlord.
“Landlord able to obtain possession from Acme” of the 32,693-square-foot building, states a leasing brochure, which shows plans for a large pharmacy, a retail space and a fast-food restaurant.
ACME employees said they have been offered jobs at other ACME stores, but have not been told when this one will shut down.
Mayor Jason Karr said he was seeking more details.
Scheduled COVID-19 vaccinations at the ACME pharmacy are not expected to be affected, Ward said.
“Before we could announce the closure of a Pharmacy location in New Jersey, we must give ample notice to all State Departments including the Department of Health.
“If or when a closure announcement is made, we have no reason to believe that existing vaccine appointments would be impacted in any way,” the spokesperson said via email.
Online records indicate the four-acre property was purchased in 2014 for $2.6 million by Morris Plains Speedwell LLC, which has a Baltimore, Md., mailing address.
A sales brochure from MCB Real Estate in Maryland highlights Morris Plains’ demographics, including “strong incomes… excellent density and proximity to residential population…outstanding daytime population (and)…. high barriers of entry.”
ACME opened its doors in Morris Plains on Oct. 24, 1977, according to Ward. It’s one of 163 stores operated by ACME Markets Inc. in six northeastern states. New Jersey tops the list with 72 locations, including Randolph, Denville, Boonton and New Providence.
The chain is a subsidiary of Albertsons Companies Inc., which acquired Kings Food Markets last year.
This story has been updated with details about future plans for the space.
The ACME store was there in the same spot in the late 1950s/early 60s. My parents shopped there on Thursdays. We walked up from near Stiles Avenue on Hanover Avenue and my father picked us up when he got off from work. RubaDub laundromat was right in front of it. The 1970s date must be when they renovated and made the current bigger building/parking lot. Shame to see it go —- it is very convenient to people all around the 5 corners/Speedwell Avenue/Hanover Avenue/Mountain Way area. And the traffic volume is very high. I don’t know of another supermarket within about 5 miles in either direction. Just what you need is another Pharmacy there….. makes it about 8 between Vail School – MP center???? Big business/Big Pharma needs to rethink the word “overkill”.
I live in rural NH where the nearest supermarket/pharmacy is 8 miles away and the biggest retail store in town is a Mom/Pop General store. We don’t even have a gas station. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Good Luck to all my former Plains Crew!
I worked at this store for nearly a decade in the late 90’s and early 00’s and it will be sad to see it close- for personal reasons as well as the fact it will be a loss to the community that desires a smaller, more convenient option to the larger (mammoth?) stores in the area. Not everyone needs or wants a grocery store with 30 aisles where it takes 15 minutes to buy some eggs and a gallon of milk.
Knowing how Acme operates, this is probably a matter of the company wanting lower rent due to decreasing sales and increased area competition, and the landlord knowing that its real estate at a fantastic location will be worth more with two or three new, eager tenants. Never mind the fact that a once-profitable store is looking kind of old and worn since it’s been almost 20 years since the last remodel. Acme will publicly cry about losing their lease to a site they’ll claim they wanted to retain but will silently be thrilled to not have to invest any more money in a store that probably doesn’t generate the numbers it did decades ago.
There is already one independent pharmacy in Morris Plains, and that is the Morris Plains Pharmacy. There is also a pharmacy in the Stop & Shop supermarket in Morris Plains. And there are quite a few other pharmacies, such as CVS and Walgreens rather close to Morris Plains. So…does Morris Plains really need another pharmacy, such as the one planned for the property where ACME in Morris Plains is located? I don’t think so. I’ve shopped at ACME and most of the other supermarkets in the Morris Plains area for many years, and I’m disappointed to learn that ACME will be closing. To paraphrase “JS” (above), it is a good thing to have a supermarket within walking distance of a good portion of Morris Plains.
I remember when they remodeled the place – 15 years ago ? Now they’re going to knock it down ?
Businesses are in business to maximize profits. New Jersey is a VERY expensive place to do business. My guess is that they believe their new plan will be more profitable. Former Acme customers may be annoyed at first, but soon they will flock to the new stores.
ACME was originally at the current site prior to 1977. It was closer to Speedwell Ave on the left side of Rub-A-Dump in the ’60s.
Acme was there long before 1977. There was an older building closer to Speedwell when I was a young kid. There are old pics floating around FB of it. Best guess is that the old building was built in the 40s or early 50s. I remember the old building being knocked down and the “new” one going up. I remember the woods behind the old building being cut down. Sad to see it go. MP needs a walkable grocery store. S&S is too far from the town center and ShopRite is a zoo.
So apparently the landlord is a company called MCB Real Estate. They have a leasing brochure that was created back on 8-18-2020 and shows a conceptual plan of the existing land. The plan calls for the demolition of the Acme store and the creation of 3 separate spaces, a Pharmacy, Retail Space, and a Fast Food Joint. It appears the rent from one long time established supermarket isn’t enough for the company. It’s so disappointing what greedy companies are doing to this country. I’m sure Acme has been paying their rent since the pandemic started, so why kick them out, unless you want more money. I am so disgusted with this.