Jewel-Osco, Des Plaines, IL
These are definitely the same aisle markers as Acme uses, with color variations.
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While working in Chicago earlier this year, I decided to check out the local retail grocery situation. There is a lot of change going on here—former market leader Dominick’s is gone after a long decline under Safeway’s shlocky leadership and Central Grocer’s Strack & Van Til and Ultra Foods stores, which also dot the Chicago landscape are closing or being sold. Walmart had just closed a much-heralded urban Neighborhood Market in a new downtown development after only 6 years (similar to this one in CT), and I was starting to see a lot more Kroger-owned Mariano’s popping up. In addition, Kmart had 3 of its 4 K-Fresh prototypes in the Chicago market (one of which was closed by the time I got there)
Then there is Jewel-Osco, always my favorite because of the way my friend’s mom pronounces “Jewel-Osco” in her Chicago accent. It seems to be the only hometown store still standing.
In Des Plaines, IL, a sparkling new Mariano’s was opening and this meant that a few of the Jewel-Osco stores in the area had received refreshes. I decided to check them out to see what the new interiors looked like. I was wondering if Safeway-Albertsons was making them closer to the new Safeway stores in Florida or the Acme stores at home. This store seemed to have a lot of elements of the refreshed Acme stores back home.
Jewel-Osco, Des Plaines, IL
These are definitely the same aisle markers as Acme uses, with color variations.
-----------------
While working in Chicago earlier this year, I decided to check out the local retail grocery situation. There is a lot of change going on here—former market leader Dominick’s is gone after a long decline under Safeway’s shlocky leadership and Central Grocer’s Strack & Van Til and Ultra Foods stores, which also dot the Chicago landscape are closing or being sold. Walmart had just closed a much-heralded urban Neighborhood Market in a new downtown development after only 6 years (similar to this one in CT), and I was starting to see a lot more Kroger-owned Mariano’s popping up. In addition, Kmart had 3 of its 4 K-Fresh prototypes in the Chicago market (one of which was closed by the time I got there)
Then there is Jewel-Osco, always my favorite because of the way my friend’s mom pronounces “Jewel-Osco” in her Chicago accent. It seems to be the only hometown store still standing.
In Des Plaines, IL, a sparkling new Mariano’s was opening and this meant that a few of the Jewel-Osco stores in the area had received refreshes. I decided to check them out to see what the new interiors looked like. I was wondering if Safeway-Albertsons was making them closer to the new Safeway stores in Florida or the Acme stores at home. This store seemed to have a lot of elements of the refreshed Acme stores back home.