Last Updated on February 6, 2022 by Kimberly Crawford
Robert Crawford and Samuel Robinson, two friends, founded ACME Markets Inc. in 1891 on Second and Fernon Streets of South Philadelphia, emphasizing excellent items, moderate pricing, and pleasant service. ACME has remained committed to offering the high-quality supermarket service that their clients have grown to expect for over 120 years.
ACME now has 107 locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware with over 10,000 employees. They will continue to provide consumers with fresh and convenient grocery options, as well as services like Sav-on Pharmacies, all of which are targeted to the individual requirements of the communities they serve.
Acme Markets’ employees come from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Females account for 44.3 percent of the workforce, while ethnic minorities account for 31.6 percent. Personnel at Acme Markets are somewhat more likely to be recognized as Democratic Party members than Republican Members of the party, with 65.0 percent identifying as Democrats.
Given their political disagreements, Acme Markets workers appear to be content. The organization boasts a high employee retention rate, with employees remaining for an average of 5.5 years. Acme Markets’ average employee earns $30,389 per year.
Piggly Wiggly Midwest, Wakefern Food, and Golub, for example, pay $37,114, $38,838, and $36,289, respectively, as some of its highest-paying competition. Acme Markets is a significant retail enterprise with 3,370 workers and $180.0 million yearly sales.
History
Robert Crawford and Samuel Robinson founded Acme in 1891 in South Philadelphia. During 1917, Crawford and Robinson had united Acme Markets alongside four other grocery companies in the Philadelphia region, forming American Stores.
The firm began using the name “Acme” for their grocery shops throughout the 1930s, and became the first to adopt self-service outlets in the early 1950s, competing with New York-based A&P. In 1963, the business unveiled its latest logo, identified as the fish eye or the teardrop, which essentially replaced the preceding decade’s inconsistent designs.
However, Acme did not complete the transition, and many of its locations remained with the original Acme emblem until 1993. The development of the new logo corresponded with the development of a new building design dubbed A Frame, which totaled 30,000 square feet and then was created to compete with Acme’s then-rivals Food Fair, A&P, and Penn Fruit, each of whom had their own high-concept design.
Many Acme stores were partnered with a regional pharmacy chain, a PLCB, a store for liquor, a Woolco, and a Kmart throughout the 1960s and 1970s. In 1968, American Stores purchased the licensing rights to Pizza Hut. Many supermarket sites in metropolitan Philadelphia were decommissioned and functioned as Shop/Thriftshop ‘n Bag locations or IGA when Acme purchased a handful of stores through Kmart Products in the 1970s.
During that period, Acme also attempted to relaunch and scale down a handful of its shops under the Super Saver label, with the slogan “Super Saver and ACME – You’re Going to Like It Here!” The brand was discontinued in the 1980s, but was revived in western states during the next decade.
Following Food Fair’s collapse in 1978, Acme purchased several stores, with both ex-Food Fair labels Penn Fruit and Pantry Pride. The next year, American Shops was purchased by Skaggs Drug Centers, which preserved the brand but stated that most of its New York sites would be closed.
In the years thereafter, American Stores has made a number of purchases, including Jewel-T, a bargain grocery in Philadelphia. In November 1999, Acme was purchased by Albertsons, a significant western and southern supermarket chain, which was then purchased by SUPERVALU in 2006.
Acme provides a comprehensive array of nationwide and company-branded food and personal items, along with online shopping and in-store pharmacies at all of its locations. In its competitive industry, the firm is the largest grocery and medicine shop, and this was the first to provide self-scanning capabilities.
Most locations have a salad bar and hot food, as well as liquor in certain Maryland locations. Acme dropped 26 non-core goods categories in April 2010, including perfumes, automobile accessories, and daily gadgets.
Timeline
1891
ACME Markets Inc. began in 1891, after pals Robert Crawford and Samuel Robinson decided to start a local grocery shop at the corner of Second and Fernon Streets in South Philadelphia.
The essential ideals of that market are the same now as they were in 1891, as imagined by Robinson and Crawford: a diverse assortment of high-quality items at reasonable costs, with pleasant service available at all times.
Robinson & Crawford, as associates, opened their first business at Second and Fernon avenues in South Philadelphia in early 1891 after working and saving (currently 1214 South Second Street). The two sold for cash, emphasized quality, and showed civility, which was not the norm at the time.
1893
The initial effort at a multiple-store business collided with the Crisis of 1893, which was triggered by agricultural downturn, over-optimistic development of industry and railways, and the administration’s silver policy.
1900
The new Acme was built near the historic Anthony Wayne movie theater, only several doors west of the 1900 “Woodlea” property (becoming the Wayne Nursing Home).
1912
William Park moved to Philadelphia through his family farm in Michigan at Caro, before the First World War, and started his food sector career as a dairy goods trader at Robinson & Crawford around 1912.
1913
The rate of new stores accelerated, and by 1913, five competitor chains had a total of 700 locations.
1915
Thomas Hunter and James Bell, the developers of several of these supermarket companies, died in 1915 and 1916, respectively, and S. C. Childs was looking forward to his retirement.
1917
Robinson & Crawford combined with four additional local Philadelphia supermarket stores in 1917 to become the American Stores Company, or ASCO, as it had been known to customers. Hunter’s Acme Tea Company, which had 433 locations in 1917, was the biggest of these businesses.
1920
In 1920, Vice President James K. Robinson got elected. Whereas the new business did eliminate nearly a quarter of the 1,223 outlets it started with, by 1920, the number had risen to 1,243 locations. He would become a chairman of the corporation and the president’s assistant in 1920.
1923
American Stores Company’s Louella and Asco brands were featured in a 1923 commercial.
1929
On April 25, 1929, the stock of American Stores Company was initially offered for exchange on the New York Stock Exchange. Aside from the Marketeria venture, American Stores had also been involved in a crucial milestone in shopping center construction in 1929.
1930
E. has a slew of properties. Towards the south of I is Lancaster Avenue. Walter Conner and Walter Conner have been twin houses that were shortly to be destroyed to make way for parking areas and a different bank facility.
1932
Later, the Willistown estate was enlarged to 392 acre, and then in November 1932, he acquired a neighboring 152-acre property from John McPhillips at Grubbs and Darby Millroads located at Easttown Township, named Westwood Farm.
Asco weathered the storm, as well as the number of shops achieved an all-time peak of 2,977 in 1932, thanks to fresh purchases in western Pennsylvania and Baltimore.
1934
In 1936, an A&P shop opened next door at 125-129 North Wayne Avenue, as pictured in the Suburban on October 2, 1936. The date of the opening of this corner grocery shop is uncertain, but an image of it appeared in the Suburb and Wayne News on April 13, 1934.
1935
Crebilly Farm, which he founded just outside of West Chester in 1935, was well-known for its saddle horses and percherons.
1936
In 1936, an A&P shop opened next door on 125-129 North Wayne Avenue, as pictured in the Suburban on October 2, 1936. In 1936, Pennsylvania implemented a tax that increased in proportion to the number of outlets a firm maintained.
1937
Once Samuel Robinson stepped down as president in 1937, Park took over. Paul Cupp, therefore the chairman of the North Jersey region, was given the task of establishing the company’s initial two supermarkets in 1937 located at Paterson, New Jersey.
1939
On May 5, 1939, the very first generation supermarkets launched at 2-4 West Lancaster Avenue at Berwyn; on October 27, 1939, at 154-156 East Lancaster Avenue in Wayne; and on November 10, 1939, at 3-5 West Lancaster Avenue in Paoli.
Although the Lancaster Avenue shop was significantly bigger than that of the North Wayne Avenue location in 1939, it only had street parking. Even before the State Supreme Court overturned the levy in 1939, it expedited the closure of less lucrative shops.
1941
Following the resolution of the merchants’ strike in 1941, a new six-day, 48-hour week was instituted, with no reduction in pay from the previous 58-hour week.
Following a 1941 acquisition of another chain, the business acquired the trademark Ideal throughout its first-line tinned food.
1942
He remained a part of the corporate board till his death, despite having retired several years before. (Robert H. Crawford, his partner in the original Robinson & Crawford supermarket, died on July 26, 1942, during WWII.)
Despite this, by 1942, the business had established 576 Acmes. The packing facility bought in 1942 was near Lincoln, Nebraska, in Lancaster County.)
1944
The armed troops consumed massive amounts of frozen goods, and as they were withdrawn from the allocation line in 1944, a rush ensued.
1946
He returned to the farm after retiring as vice-president as well as accountant of American Stores in 1946. In 1946, he bought Beau Fortune, a renowned five-gaited gelding possessed by R. Republic Steel Corporation in Chicago’s A. Rettler, for a remarkable price of $50,000.
In 1946, the weekly average sale was $2,900, with total sales reaching $307 million.
1948
In 1948, James K. Robinson stepped down as vice-president as well as manager of American Stores, but he died the following February.
1949
After three months of development, a renovated Wayne Acme launched at 127 West Lancaster Street on November 2, 1949. The Suburban & Wayne Times, 4th of November in 1949, “Acme Supermarket Opens; Has A lot of Aids for Shoppers.”
1950
The Acme facility was memorialized as part of a panel representing the Wayne of the “now” on a mural inside the Radnor High School theater in 1950. With the “Acme” name neatly substituted with “food,” the unusual structure is immediately recognized.
In 1950, he was transferred from his job as a zone director of American Stores in New Jersey (North) to support the corporate vice-president in buying, and then a year later he was promoted to vice-president with responsibility of food purchasing, advertising, and retailing.
1952
On May 21, 1952, a commercial supermarket in Berwyn emerged on the former site of Easttown Grammar School, just on the southern side of Lancaster Avenue across Bridge and Central streets.
1953
A successful advertising strategy he arranged for Acme Markets mostly around Philadelphia throughout the late summer in 1953, as Acme hosted the inaugural “Grocery Bowl” football match, was an illustration of his merchandising expertise.
1971
With the implementation of a new financial information accounting system called the Operations Information Systems at the latter of 1971, the usage of data handling and automated information management solutions was also launched and expanded rapidly.
1972
By the start of 1972, the business had established roughly 40 Super Saver shops, at which point it was determined to eliminate trade stamps from practically other Acme grocery stores and implement a discount-type approach more extensively.
1973
Following the business reorganization, Acme’s holding company, American Stores Company, relocated to the Rollins Plaza Building along Route 202 at the north of Wilmington at the close of 1973.
1974
Peter F. McGoldrick, a former party vice-president at Jewel Food Stores, a Chicago-area food supply chain, was appointed president of the renamed Acme corporation on January 1, 1974. Acme’s yearly sales volume had surpassed $1.5 billion by 1974 as a result of the program’s accomplishment.
1977
In 1977, he was chosen to serve as chair of the Company of Directors as well as chief executive officer. John Park remained chairman of the Board of Directors.
1978
Both franchises were owned by Food Fair, that declared bankruptcy in 1978 and was purchased by Acme.
1980
Peter F. McGoldrick stepped down as chairman of Acme Markets during mid-July 1980. On the 24th of August in 1980, the store relaunched as an Acme following renovations. This business, which was a Pantry Pride shop until 1980, has just undergone extensive renovations and is expected to remain operational for many years.
1988
One of them debuted on May 18, 1988, which is across the North Valley Hills in Phoenixville. John Park had positioned the firm with a strong, youthful management team as he neared retirement in 1978.
2010
This is an extended version of an essay that was first published in the RHS Newsletter in 2010. As the prevailing Acme located at Lancaster Avenue as well as N. Lancaster Street celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2010, With the end of Aberdeen Avenue’s complete year of operation approaching, it is a good moment to reflect on the legacy of these marketplaces in Wayne.
In 2010, a Florida-based pizza business, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, built one of its first locations in the Northeastern United States inside one half, while a Chipotle Mexican Grill built in the other.
About its Parent Company
In 1999, holding company AB Acquisition LLC purchased American Shops, the firm that had managed ACME Markets from 1917, putting all Albertsons locations under one administration and bringing ACME Markets towards the Albertsons portfolio of brands.
With a strong regional influence and a national scale, Albertsons Companies is among the leading grocery and medicine stores in the United States. Star Market, Shaw’s, United Supermarkets, Safeway, Vons, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Tom Thumb, ACME Markets, Randalls, Haggens, Pavilions, and Carrs are among the 19 well-known brands under which the firm runs shops in 35 states across the Country of Columbia.
Albertsons Companies branded shops are dedicated to supporting people to live richer lives around the country.
All of their businesses, regardless of whose banner they function under, were created on the principle of providing consumers with the things they desire at a reasonable price, while also providing plenty of compassionate, caring care. They still open their borders every day with that fundamental principle in mind, and as a result, they have some of the best stores in the country.
Current and Future Operations
For orders that may be collected at the store, Acme provides online grocery shopping. Acme used to deliver to consumers via online orders until 2009.
Acme debuted self-checkout kiosks in 2004, allowing customers to search and bag their own goods; but, in an effort to improve customer service, several locations (including acquired businesses) have already had their self-checkouts withdrawn. Many Acme locations started adding hot food stations to their deli sections in 2008.
Acme’s opponent A&P stated in July 2015 that it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again for the second time in three years, ending 156 years of business. Soon after, A&P began auctioning off many of its shops, and Acme submitted offers on 76 of them, finally acquiring the contracts to 71 locations from A&P’s parent company and its subsidiaries.
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Acme Today
The name “Acme” is likely to trigger a yawn or perhaps ridicule from younger ears. The food retailing sector promotes innovation, and the last two decades have seen a particularly fertile period of innovative rivalry, much of which has eaten into Acme’s profits.
Consumers have more choices than ever before, from specific markets like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods to bulk-buying choices such as Aldi and Costco up to superstores like Wegmans. Acme lacks erotic appeal in this realm of varietals.
In fact, despite Jim Perkins’s upbeat spin about how well Acme has been doing, the reality is that the former supermarket behemoth still confronts issues. There’s at least one aged, even shabby establishment in need of a renovation for every gleaming contemporary store Perkins has established.
Acme’s competition is stiff, and its target client — the middle-class consumer — is progressively dwindling. Its prices are greater than those of its competitors. Most importantly, Acme’s management aren’t interested in completely revitalizing the brand.
Indeed, the fundamental question about Acme isn’t whether it can restore its former grandeur and retake its place as Philadelphia’s premier grocer. It won’t be able to until something drastic happens. The true story is how Acme got so far down the rabbit area in the first place.
You might be shocked to learn that Acme has long been associated with invention. Its rise to become Philadelphia’s most prominent grocery chain was a bright illustration of capitalism performing well — a mutualistic relationship that benefited owners, workers, and consumers alike.
Customers handed their shopping lists to employees who grabbed the products, and Acme assisted in the transition to expansive floor plans and motorized trolleys. Robinson bought property surrounding his businesses to accommodate client parking as the vehicle altered travel. And when he passed away in 1958, he created a trail that would outlast him.
Acme had withstood the transition from corner shops to groceries by the mid-1980s, and it ruled the eight-county Philadelphia area. Jobs at American Stores, which had been organized by 1940, were highly sought after.
Despite the changes, American Stores maintained a consistent business model, focusing on long-term success by providing consumers and workers with the same observation: a shop and employment that appeared like an expansion of home.