By Christina Johnson and Danielle Schipani
Several local A&P/Pathmark stores that were shuttered by the company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July are now closed, or closing. This month, some local stores have reopened under the Acme sign.
On Wednesday, the Tinton Falls A&P store at 990 Shrewsbury Ave. converted to Acme – just across the street from an existing Acme at 1080 Broad St. It follows the Wall A&P-to-Acme conversion at 2007 Route 35 and the A&P conversion to Acme in Little Silver, at 507 Prospect Street.
Leon Schnitzspahn of Little Silver, was picking out groceries in her neighborhood store on Tuesday. “Towards the end, A&P didn’t have much on the shelves, which can be expected,” said Schnitzspahn. “But now the store feels much better organized. I also like the fact that they got rid of most of the self-checkouts. Now they have people checking customers out, which I much prefer.”
Acme Market’s plan to boost hiring in its stores beyond A&P levels, with more cashiers, deli, grocery workers and other staff members, is good news for unionized supermarket workers. About 7,000 employees lost their jobs statewide when A&P went out of business, but about 6,000 have already gained reemployment in the new stores with more job opportunities coming available all the time as more stores convert over, according to John T. Niccollai, President of the Local 464A of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union, which represents A&P and other supermarket workers.
He said that presently there are 600 jobs posted on the union’s website.
The reemployed workers, some of whom hung on through A&P’s double bankruptcies, received severance payments from their former Montvale-based employer, and also retained their wage level, benefits, vacation and seniority when they continued in their roles with Acme, he said.
“To kind of paraphrase it, what we’re seeing now is not your Grandma’s Acme,” said Niccollai. “It’s tremendously progressive in terms of catering to needs of shoppers. They’re flexible in terms of putting in ethnic foods, and bringing in foods that fit the needs of the area, very interested in cleanliness, and very, very interested in servicing the customer. That’s why they are putting so many people on.”
Sylva Baker of Red Bank is waiting to be wowed. On her first visit to the new Acme in Little Silver, she remarked that it seems the aisles were too narrow for her taste, and she didn’t get the feeling there was a lot of choices.
“I’ve noticed that the new Acme is a little expensive and pricey and that it doesn’t have much variety,” she said. “In the few times that I did come into the old A&P it had better variety and was easier to navigate through.”
Ellen Mandia of Union Beach, who frequently shopped in A&P stores in the past, said the Little Silver store was impressive.
“I have been to Acmes before and I never really liked them, but this one is very nice and much improved,” she said. “The new Acme is much nicer, brighter, and feels cleaner. It is also much more organized than A&P was. Towards the end, A&P’s shelves were not stocked and it’s nice to see fully stocked shelves again.”
A&P stores have closed on Route 35 in Aberdeen and Holmdel, and also the Pathmark in Toms River. Stores slated to close soon are in Marlboro, Atlantic Highlands and Brick. Pathmark stores are closing in Hazlet and Brick.
The bankrupt supermarket grocery chain is currently completing its liquidation and bankruptcy plan and will seek to auction or sell the remaining stores to private owners. Throughout the state, two-thirds of the 297 stores in New Jersey it once operated will re-emerge as supermarkets under the Acme and Stop&Shop banner, but the fate of the remainder is not yet known.
“I’ve said all along many of these stores are just too good in terms of location and opportunity to stay dormant,” said Niccollai, who is confident that the properties remain attractive to the grocery market.
The union is keeping a close eye on what emerges as the A&P rejects the leases, and landlords and realty companies negotiate new deals with new tenants. “We’re not going to permit non-union operators to open up without picket lines,” he said.
