Here are a couple of nice 1960 interior views of Stop & Shop’s Natick, Massachusetts store. In addition to the great use of color and the classy design scheme (standard for S & S at the time), they also show a wall-length store directory – something that was a very common feature of chain supermarkets from the 1940’s through the sixties. These directories are now very rarely seen, the valuable wall space now usually taken up by…uh…nothing. Granted, stores were smaller then and the full span of the wall would have been more easily visible because of this.I look at this and think it would be nice to have them back – maybe an electronic plasma screen version, like the highly graphical, ever larger ones used for airport arrival/departure boards. C’mon, marketing people!
This ranks up there with the vintage Publix with the wall directory and clock and terrazzo floors. 50's and 60's supermarket decor at its finest and actually wouldn't look bad in current stores.
ReplyDeleteGreat color scheme. Murals was a thing I used to love on walls. Big chains don't seem to have them much anymore. A small fruitmarket or two might though.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - I agree, it's in league with the Publix stores. Lots of attention to detail that isn't seen often today.
ReplyDeleteDidi - I dig the murals too. Sure are nicer than the plain beige walls that are so common now.
I don't think the directory on the wall thing was all that universal. there were unremodeled stores in Cleveland from that era that lasted into the late 70s that didn't have that. The unremodeled 1950s Stop & Shop stores I knew in Hartford in the early 80s had nothing like this, nor did the similarly ancient Finasts. In fact I can think of very few dinosaurs I've seen with this anywhere.
ReplyDeleteCommon with some chains for a time, but by no means universal, I agree. The Stop & Shop stores I've seen with it seem to date from around 1961-62. I've seen it to a larger extent in Publix stores of that era and in a number of early 60's Ralphs, all of which seemed to be higher-end stores in more affluent areas. I know Alpha Beta used them for a time as well.
ReplyDeleteThe only recent example of a store directory I've seen was in a fairly new Weis Market in York, PA. It was a backlit sign that looked to be about 4 feet wide, right inside the main entrance, with a second unit perpendicular to the back wall. It immediately reminded me of the old wall-length versions with the aisle number/letter codes I'd seen in my photo files.
oh wow. Stop & Shop sure has changed from way back when. I work for one of the stores in Connecticut and my store has been sending me to Unionville Stop & Shop to help out at their "solution center" It sure is a fresh clean change and it sure is bright in there compared to the older stores.
ReplyDeleteCraiggers - Very different, I'm sure. Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteAround 1960, there was a Stop and Shop at Dixie Manor Shopping Center in Pleasure Ridge Park, KY. It was a high end store, and even had lobster tanks. My parents were from Western Pennsylvania where bologna was often referred to as 'jumbo' because of a major brand there. So when she asked for it from the butcher, he laughed and said "Lady, we don't sell elephant meat." The next thing I knew I was being dragged out of the store. My mother was incensed and vowed never to darken Stop and Shop's door again. It was not a success and was replaced by a Winn-Dixie.
ReplyDeleteScott - That's a great story! I guess the butcher should have watched his words a bit closer, or maybe that's what did in their business. The Stop and Shop you refer to was actually part of a different firm from the Boston-based chain I've featured in these posts. The Louisville stores were actually a division of Colonial Stores (based in Atlanta)at the time of your experience with them.
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