INCREDIBLE NEON-SOAKED SHOPRITE - WILLIAMSTOWN NJ

We were driving around NJ last Thursday afternoon to do some filming and photography for the YouTube channel and we cruised past this ShopRite. Needing to take a break from the road for a bit, we decided to stop in for a few. Located in Williamstown NJ, this ShopRite is owned by Zallie's.

We were NOT prepared for what we were going to see when we walked in. Literally NEON EVERYWHERE. All the departments bore incredible neon signage. Most supermarkets these days don't have any, many having been renovated in the past, removing all that vintage charm.

Not only did the store have a ridiculous amount of neon, the general feel of the store was that of a place that had not seen much in the way of physical renovation for many years. It really did feel like stepping back in time... a more fun and simpler time, when supermarkets actually cared about giving a good impression when you shopped their aisles.

The area that this is situated in, Gloucester Co. NJ, in general feels like much of it is a bit trapped in time. For many, that would be a liability. For those of us retail geeks, this is a welcome sight. We absolutely love stumbling upon this sort of thing.

In our travels, we do like to stop in at places that aren't malls, such as supermarkets and discount chains, simply because you never know what you're likely to find, still in those walls. This kind of retail archaeology is what we live for... and to find it in the wild is like... JACKPOT!

This isn't the first neon ShopRite that we've happened upon in our travels. I will share yet another one in a future blog post, the blue neon wonderland which is the Bordentown NJ ShopRite. You're going to love that one, too!

As for this location, it was literally down every aisle, at every turn, that glint of neon glow caught my attention, causing me to dart around the store like an excited kid, gawking and pointing. This stuff really captures that sense of nostalgia and wonder that seems to be all but lost in our cookie cutter "future" that is generally stripped of aesthetics and elements deemed "unnecessary" or expensive to maintain.

Being in a store like this is a serious throwback. We were so glad that we decided to stop in here. These stores are a dying breed, and if, God forbid, they should ever decide to remodel, we now have a photo document of how it was, when we found it. This is a huge reason why we do what we do. To preserve the past for future generations to discover and enjoy.

Not only that, but it does trigger a great amount of personal nostalgia. There is within the retail community a great sense of times and places. Touch points in life that we all wish we had back, especially during the times in which we live... with retail establishments falling victim to bankruptcy and closures. Malls closing every week, seemingly, and a general sense that all is not well. We return to these nostalgic photos and stories of retail past, for some comfort and going back to simpler times.

This ShopRite represents an era that is fading fast. Our collective memories will always store these images, but the stories need to be documented NOW before they are lost to time. How many times have we walked into a store, post-renovations and just felt our shoulders sag, sad for what no longer exists?

We really enjoy sharing these relics from the road, that are a part of retail history. It's always nice when some parts of history still remain in our present times. Cheers to the owners for letting us enjoy this a little longer!

Next time you are on a trip somewhere, definitely take the time to step into a supermarket that looks a little dated on the outside. Or a discount store that's changed over to another. You really never know what will greet you when you walk in. We've had several cool experiences like this that I will share in future posts. You won't want to miss them!

THIS PHARMACY SIGN! I LOVE IT!

THANKS FOR TAKING A LOOK!

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Raw & Real Retail.