The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company - Store Design

Store Design

The A&P Historical Society describes early stores as "resplendent emporiums" painted in vermilion and equipped with a large gas light T sign. Interiors included crystal chandeliers, tin ceilings, and walls with gilt-edged Chinese panels. A clerk stood behind a long counter to serve customers (self-service did not become common until the 1930s) and the cashier's station was shaped like a Chinese pagoda. When the company started offering premiums, the wall opposite the counter was equipped with large shelves to display the give-aways. After John Hartford became responsible for marketing in the 1900s, the chain began offering S&H Trading Stamps to free space for the expanded of groceries available in the stores. The economy stores John Hartford developed in 1912 eliminated frills. Typically 600 square feet (56 m2), these stores were equipped with basic shelving and a small ice box. A&P agreed only to short leases so that it could quickly close unprofitable stores.

The early combination grocery/meat/produce stores date to the mid-1920s; its self-service supermarkets began in the 1930s, which were still small by later standards. On average, each first-generation supermarket replaced six older combination stores. A&P's policy of agreeing only to short-term leases resulted in differences in store design into the 1950s. Except for the West Coast stores (which had a marina design), A&P stores constructed from 1955 to 1970 usually featured a distinctive cupola and weather vane (bow and truss) design on the buildings' roofs, red brick finish on walls (including the rear), and a raised triangular point in the front facade where the store's lollipop logo was placed. Some older stores were remodeled to include these features, which became A&P's signature. However, during this period, A&P stores were considerably smaller in size than those of other chains. As late as 1971, half of the A&P stores were under 8,000 square feet (740 m2).

During the Scott era, store design was modernized and controlled from headquarters. A&P developed four different-sized prototypes: 23,000 square feet (2,100 m2), 28,000 square feet (2,600 m2), 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2), and 32,000 square feet (3,000 m2). Combination grocery/drug stores were opened under the Family Mart trade name with 40,000 square feet (3,700 m2) of selling area. A&P also built a store in Saudi Arabia. During the Wood era, the company developed the Futurestore concept with stark black-and-white decor. In the mid-1990s, A&P began adding pharmacies to the "Futurestores" and concentrated on building units of 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) to 80,000 square feet (7,400 m2).

Today's A&P stores usually include a bakery, full-service delicatessen, full-service meat, and a pharmacy, in addition to traditional grocery departments. As of 2012, few "weather vane" buildings remain as A&P supermarkets; several are Waldbaum's snd SuperFresh supermarkets. A&P re-branded their mid-Atlantic stores as SuperFresh in the early 1980s and their stores within the four outer boroughs of New York City and Long Island as Waldbaum's in the early 2000s. In 2005, at a defunct Waldbaum's in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island, an arson fire caused the structure's trademark roof to collapse.

Remaining Centennial/Weather Vane locations still in use:

• Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, 1110 Youngsford Road, currently branded as SuperFresh.
• Glen Rock, New Jersey, 937 Lincoln Avenue, currently branded as Food Basics.
• Golden's Bridge, New York, 122 New York Route 22, still branded as A&P.
• Katonah, New York, 132 Bedford Road, still branded as A&P.
• Little Silver, New Jersey, 507 Prospect Avenue still branded as A&P.
• Millwood, New York, 230 Saw Mill River Rd cape cod widow centennial variation still branded as A&P.
• Morristown, New Jersey, 110 Washington Street, still branded as A&P.
• Pluckemin, New Jersey, 75 Washington Valley Road, still branded as A&P.
• Newark, Delaware, 401 New London Road, currently branded as SuperFresh.
• Rosebank, New York, 375 Tompkins Avenue, currently branded as Waldbaum's 70's era expansion on right side
• Shrub Oak, New York, 1366 East Main Street, currently branded as A&P Fresh 70's era expansion on the left with some recent minor alterations to the original facade the weather vain is still intact
• Southampton, New York, 167 Main Street/Jagger Lane, currently branded as Waldbaum's Fresh.
• Stamford, Connecticut 1201 High Ridge Road currently branded as A&P Fresh.
• Wilmington, Delaware, 1812 Marsh Road, currently branded as Superfresh.
• Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, 250 East Lancaster Avenue, currently branded as SuperFresh.

Remaining Centennial locations still in use expanded most with newer facades covering the original.

• Fanwood, New Jersey, 105 South Avenue still branded as A&P.
• Hastings On Hudson, New York 87 Main Street currently branded as A&P Fresh
• Marlboro, New Jersey 468 County Lane Road (Route 520) still branded as A&P.
• Montclair, New Jersey 510 Valley Road currently branded as A&P Fresh
• Park Ridge, New Jersey, 199 Kinderkamack Road currently branded as A&P Fresh
• Scarsdale, New York, 668 Central Avenue currently branded as A&P Fresh
• Sussex, New Jersey, 455 Route 23 currently branded as A&P Fresh