Tale of Two Cities

 This week is going to be another mostly Philly post, but with a surprise adventure up to Allentown in the middle. I say that not because it's a surprise to you, but because I found out I had to make the drive up there only a couple days prior. I signed up for a teaching elective class since it would also count for a community service assignment in one of my other classes, but found out with short notice that we would need a background check. The closest place that offered those services and still had spots open before the deadline was up in Allentown. It was an adventure.

SuperFresh/ACME, Washington Square West

ACME's remodeled most of the stores they took from A&P at this point, but most of them were little more than décor swaps. South Street's (tiny) store was an exception. They totally reconfigured the store and carved some large windows in the walls facing both Tenth and South streets.

It's both small and busy, not a good combination for taking pictures. I was shielded from an employee by the shelf here. One of the major changes ACME made here was repainting the black ceiling white. The spotlight along the perimeter of the store was left its previous color.

SuperFresh's service departments were left alone for the most part. The store had A&P's unconventional Funky Fresh décor previously, which was still pretty new when they went under. The service departments were one of the few normal things about the décor.

The store's original produce department on the South Street side was replaced with checkout and the Wine & Beer. The old checkout on the Tenth Street side then became produce.

For a big-budget remodel, they certainly could have used better glue on the signs.

Terribly blurry but surprisingly people-free view of the produce department, formerly home to Checkout. Another major change they made was reorienting the aisles to run perpendicular to South Street instead of Tenth. They kept SuperFresh's lighting, but even bothered to rotate those 90 degrees as well.

Coco's, Graduate Hospital

This chicken & waffle restaurant opened to incredible fanfare in 2016 and had a short run before the sketchy nightclub above it caught on fire in early 2017. After being closed for over a year, they reopened in 2018. Google Maps lists them as permanently closed now, but given its complicated history and Google's general unreliability I'm not sure how much stake I can put into that. The restaurant posts infrequently on Facebook but was active in October. If they are still open, sooner or later they'll have to go regardless since the entire block is being taken over for a development anchored by a relocated Whole Foods.

Dunkin Donuts, Allentown, PA

This is an older 70's or 80's Dunkin that's been remodeled a few times over the years. While one of those remodels eliminated the shingle roof awning, it kept the overhang around the store.

Wendy's, Allentown, PA

Like McDonald's, Wendy's has been pretty diligent with remodeling their stores in recent years. This location, which opened in the 90's, was no exception. It got a fairly extensive renovation in 2019.

CVS, Allentown, PA

CVS opened here in 2013, replacing an older store across the street. The one it replaced (now a Dollar General) opened in 1986 as one of the first CVS's in the state.

Wells Fargo, Allentown, PA

I'm not entirely sure of the Lehigh Valley-area Wells Fargos' lineage, but they were ones bought from Wachovia, who got them from First Union. Chances are it was a local bank they bought. Many in the area have a delightful midcentury design to them.

Big Woody's, Allentown, PA

As you might be able to guess, some of the letters on the signage here came from an old Hollywood Video. What might be surprising is that this space was never home to one, Woody's was here for years. Hollywood Video was actually in the Advance Auto Parts next door. When they closed, the restaurant must have made a deal to buy some of their letters. Another one of their restaurants nearby, on the other hand, is in an actual old Hollywood Video.

A&P/IGA/Aaron's & Hollywood Video/Advance, Allentown, PA

As evidenced by the roofline, this was originally a 1960's colonial-style A&P. It closed in the early 80's when the chain pulled out of PA, and did not reopen as a SuperFresh. It became an IGA until 1990, and was later subdivided between Aaron's and Hollywood Video.

KFC, Allentown, PA

The two towers here made me think it was originally a combo restaurant, but according to the Streetviews it has been a KFC since its 2008 opening. It was remodeled to their new look in 2019.

Bennett Toyota, Bethlehem, PA

This dealership looks like it dates back to the 50's, meaning it probably wasn't always Toyota. They closed during the recession, and the building sat vacant until it was demolished in 2018. I suspect it won't be too long before it gets redeveloped.

Almart/Jefferson Ward/Caldor/Ames, Bethlehem, PA

Almart- not to be confused with Walmart- opened with the center in 1964. They were gone by the time Jefferson Ward opened in 1980, and closed after the chain was bought by Bradlees (who already had a store in town) in 1986. Caldor opened in 1993, adding its current façade. They closed with the chain in 1999, and was one of the stores Ames took over. We all know how that turned out. By 2002, it was vacant again. Since this store sits at the uphill end of the shopping center and faces opposite the rest of the center, the landlord decided it was better suited for offices. Wells Fargo was here for a while, but they have since been replaced by Aetna.

Thriftway/CVS/Party City, Bethlehem, PA

I initially thought this was an ACME, but as it turns out this was built as a Thriftway franchise. They closed in 1987, and were replaced by CVS the following year. CVS moved to a (barely) freestanding store next door in 2007, and Party City moved to their old space from the spot that is now a Primo Hoagies.

Bethlehem Diner, Bethlehem, PA

If anybody has any clue what this was originally (if it was a chain), please let me know! It's been home to the Bethlehem Diner since the early 90's, who has some awesome neon.

Pure Oil, Exton, PA

I've posted this place in the past, erroneously referring to it as the gatehouse for Williams Deluxe Cabins, a former early motel behind this. It was built at the same time as the cabins, but I recently learned it originally served as a Pure Oil. Like most of the motel, it was sadly in too bad a shape to restore. Thankfully, the owners recently rebuilt it in a style mostly true to how it looked when it first opened back in the 20's. I'm curious to see what the replacement will be used for.

Ashbridge Manor, Exton, PA

I've also posted this a few times before and don't have any corrections this time, but instead bring good news. Work has FINALLY (as in 20 years after it was first announced) beginning restoring the 250-year-old mansion as part of a large apartment complex being built in the field surrounding it.

Dairy Queen, Devon, PA
It's been a few decades and several tenants since Dairy Queen left, but remarkably the building remains unaltered. My earliest memory of this building was it being a secondary facility for a nearby Toyota dealer. Later it became a Hertz, and following Pennsylvania's legalization of medical marijuana became a dispensary in 2018.

Things Are Changing at Kmart!

Before work began outfitting the old Devon Kmart into a Target, they went through a long asbestos removal process. Evidently the ceiling under the awning had some, as it was boarded off completely. Construction on the Target didn't start until a couple months after this was done, so it may have been done by the landlord.

Demolition in Devon

An old duplex tucked away behind the La Jonquille buildings got torn down in early 2018... for a condo building that was supposed to be finished by Fall of 2017. Flash forward to today, and it's still a vacant lot. The signs for the condo building are still up, giving me hope they haven't given up on the plan.

Down the street in Berwyn was one of Lancaster Avenue's few remaining single-family homes. This one came down last year and is being replaced by a surprisingly large building. I don't know exactly what the new one will be, it looks sorta like apartments but somebody told me it will be an office.

ACME, Paoli, PA

I've posted this store a few times in the past as it remodeled to the current décor from the original Fresh & Healthy look, but I think this is my first set of photos of the finished product. As it is the closest store to ACME's headquarters, it gets constant attention.

The current remodel was still pretty thorough, but not quite as intense as the last one. The wall tile and drywall features along the edge of the drop ceiling were left over from the previous look. The signage, floor tile, and fluorescent strips were all done in the 2017 remodel.

Like most stores that opened with the Farmer's Market décor, the service departments here were built into an alcove behind produce.

Looking along the front of the store. I don't remember ever seeing this store as empty as it is here... I must have visited at a really weird hour.

Ruby Tuesday, Malvern, PA

I would have made a Goodbye Ruby Tuesday joke, but with all the restaurant's they've closed this year those have been beaten to death (not unlike the chain). This location closed back in 2016, and had been sitting empty for a few years before Aldi announced they would be opening here. I know Aldi's run on the smaller side, but I had no idea how they were going to fit a store here. Somehow they made it work. Ruby Tuesday must have had a massively oversized parking lot. Demolition of the old restaurant began not long after I got this picture, and Aldi opened in 2019.

Wawa, Downingtown, PA

They must either be planning to relocate or close this store before long. It hasn't been remodeled yet by Wawa, BUT was given a facelift in 2019 when the small strip mall it sits in was remodeled. This entailed replacing the wood siding with stucco- not an extravagant renovation but pricy enough I don't think they would have done it if Wawa was planning on staying here long-term and doing a full remodel themselves. They didn't bother replacing the logo during the remodel, but did change out the plastic coverings on the signage. The "Wawa" part looks more or less the same, but the goose was replaced with the updated version in red on a white background (but still in the old circle frame). The "Food Market" was similarly replaced with red lettering on a white background.

No Mo' Joe

Joe's Crab Shack in Bala Cynwyd closed after a disappointingly short run. It opened in 2012 and closed in 2016. I'm not sure what the whole history of this place is, but it was likely built as a fine dining restaurant in the 50's alongside the adjoining office tower. At some point (Guessing the 80's?) it became a Chi-chi's, which closed with the chain in the early 2000's. It then did a brief stint as Houlihan's before Joe's opened up. Good news is that it isn't vacant any longer- Longhorn Steakhouse opened here in 2018. Bad news is that in converting the space, they built a parapet wall around the roof, covering up the surviving midcentury modern details. Chi-Chi's slightly slanted planting beds and walkways remain though.

PHA Building, Rittenhouse Square

This 1930's office building was home to the Philadelphia Housing Authority from the 1960's up until they relocated to Grays Ferry in 2005. After they vacated the space, a deal was made to demolish the existing building and put apartments on the site. That plan was tabled during the recession, allowing the old PHA building to fall into disrepair. It's gotten significantly worse lately- part of it even caught on fire earlier this year- so I imagine it will be coming down soon regardless of when the replacement project gets off the ground.

Buffalo Exchange, Rittenhouse Square

A streetfront parking lot-less strip mall is an unusual sight. This might be the only one in the city. Despite the modern look, this has actually been here since the 70's. They redid the front in 2016, giving it a much sharper, more modern look. The stores all got really classy-looking new signs too. Somehow that wasn't enough to keep higher-end thrift store Buffalo Exchange on board. They moved down the street to a former Kresge at the beginning of 2018.

Ritz Camera Sign, Rittenhouse Square

The building under this sign was home to a Rite Aid at one point, which is what I thought this mural was an ad for. Turns out it wasn't Rite Aid, but Ritz Camera, who operated out of the same building until around 2009.

Westin Construction, Rittenhouse Square

This property was home to a parking lot for the past 30-ish years, but before that it housed a smaller hotel and an assortment of low-rise buildings which were crushed during the 1991 Meridian Plaza fire. The new hotel broke ground in 2017 and has been slowly but surely rising to a height of 617 feet, making it the 9th tallest building in the city and the 8th tallest hotel in the country.

Cathay Tea Garden/Sleepy's/Mattress Firm, East Market

There's a lot hidden behind this ugly façade (which used to not be ugly). It was originally home to the Cathay Tea Garden, a Chinese Restaurant that opened in 1938. They closed in the early 70's, and by the 2000's the bottom floor was in use as a Sleepy's. Mattress Firm bought them in 2016, then closed this location after going bankrupt. It's now being prepared to become a medical marijuana dispensary. The second floor, on the other hand, remains unaltered from the day Cathay closed. You can check it out here.

7-Eleven, East Market

7-Eleven opened a swath of new stores in Center City in the 90's. This is one of the more unaltered ones. It's the only one I know in town that still has its original mercury vapor lights; the others have all been replaced with LED's. I'm not sure why, as this location seems to do good business and a number of ones that did get the new lighting have since closed.

Snellenburg's Garage, East Market

The old storefronts on this building made it one of my favorites in the city. I was distraught when I learned it was going to be demolished, but at this point I've gotten over the grief and am now excited to see the new hospital go up on the site.

This storefront's a little more modern than the rest of the 1942 building, it was redone when Best opened here in the 60's. They closed with the chain in 1997 and the space was split between a PGW office and a City Blue clothing store.

Future Wawa, Old City

Doesn't look like a Wawa, does it? It was originally part of the lobby for the Public Ledger building, which was constructed in 1924. It more recently served as a cheesy Founding Fathers-themed gift shop since it sits directly across  6th Street from Independence Hall. Wawa opened up their new flagship store, combining this already large space with the one next door, in late 2018. The new store is massive and beautiful, but I've got one major complaint about it- all of this wood paneling was ripped out for them.

Dilworth House, Old City

I always thought this house was left over from the Colonial days, but as it turns out was actually built in 1957 by then-mayor Richardson Dilworth. The rear of the house is built in more of a midcentury-modern style and overlooks one of the largest back yards in Center City. For that reason, it's been threatened by demolition for a new apartment building for several years. Despite only being 60-ish years old, history enthusiasts rallied to save it. A compromise was finally reached where the front of the building would be preserved, but the back redeveloped. It's been a few years now and so far nothing has happened, so I really don't know what to expect here.

I've been listening to this song from Elvis a lot recently. This is one of my favorites of his and it's criminally underappreciated. It's a cover of a Chuck Berry song, so you know it's going to be good. The King of Rock covering the Inventor of Rock.