Acme | Broomall, PA

1991 Sproul Road

Welcome to the Broomall Acme!

Happy September! We're kicking off one of my favorite months of the year with, you guessed it, an Acme! This location has a somewhat interesting history, though, at least as Acmes go. It's the anchor of the Lawrence Park Shopping Center, a large and regionally well-known shopping center that recently completed an expansive renovation. It was definitely justified, as the shopping center has been operating since 1957. At that time, Acme's spot was filled by Food Fair, one of the top supermarkets in the Philadelphia area back in the '50s and '60s. Food Fair closed in 1979, and the store reopened as ShopRite that year. ShopRite closed in 1994, and the store soon became an Acme, relocating from their older Broomall store that is now a CVS (which has another location in the Lawrence Park parking lot). I feel like it's been a while since we've had a store with that much history! Let's go inside now!

This store has the early version of Quality Built, which we also saw last year in Cape May Court House. It's held up pretty well, but a remodel to a newer package also wouldn't be unnecessary.

Broomall Freshest Produce Market is just to the left in an alcove after we enter. As you'll see, this version of QB has much more vibrant colors than the more common version.

Usually, Acme hides wine in a random aisle near the center of the store, but in Broomall their selection is front and center.

The bakery is in the back of the grand aisle. I find it interesting how this store has the signs so far in front of the actual department. Usually Acme doesn't do that, but they had to here with the odd ceiling situation.

Meat and seafood is in the back of the store.

The one thing that tends to always change among early QB stores is the deli signage. This is one of the better ones I've seen. Others include Cape May Court House and the horrifyingly ugly Beach Haven.

Salty snacks are in aisle 8. The aisle markers are quite similar to the final product, though the number is thicker and the colors are slightly tweaked.

Dairy is on the right.

The curvy pharmacy is in the front corner. This store kept the Sav-On branding, though not on the outside. Also, I'm just realizing now that this store doesn't have the retro logo wall.

HABA, floral, checkouts, and customer service (where I had to check out, because the self-checkout wasn't taking my card) as we proceed out of the store.

Other Images of Interest

Street View Images

2019

Here's the store with its old look. Personally, I like this better. It's way too white now.

Nearby competition

1.8 miles away: GIANT of Broomall

Here's next week's store, the GIANT up the road that goes behind this shopping center. It opened in 2019 as a replacement for an older store in Broomall, closer to the Newtown Square area, that opened in 2001 in a former Bradlees. That store is now an Amazon Fresh. Speaking of which...

2.1 miles away: Amazon Fresh of Broomall

We're only about two miles away from the Amazon Fresh! This store opened back in 2022. Like in pretty much every market, Amazon Fresh has been pretty slow to grow in the Philadelphia area. The only two other locations nearby (and neither are really close at all) are Warrington, which opened in 2021, and Bensalem, which opened only a few weeks ago on August 22. We toured the Broomall location back in March of 2023, and you can see it here.

Thanks for joining me at this Acme! I don't really have anything to say about this store - as '90s Acmes go, it's very average. I don't like this decor as much as the later version of Quality Built, but it isn't bad. If this store is getting a remodel at any time soon, it would get the University City decor (which the Trolley Square store in Wilmington now also has - thanks PlazaACME!). I really hope we start to see Acmes getting this decor that's sprouting up in Albertsons and Safeway stores across the West. But that's all for now! I'll see you next week at GIANT. Sincerely, The Retail Connection.