Contributor Post: Rite Aid #4685, Melvindale, Michigan

The following is a SMR:MCRH Contributor Post.

 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Melvindale%2C_MI_location.png/320px-Melvindale%2C_MI_location.png

This post will look at retail in Melvindale, Wayne County, MI.

Rite Aid #4685
4016 Oakwood Boulevard, Melvindale, MI
Driving distance and time from downtown Detroit: 10.7 miles, approx. 16 minutes

This week's post takes us to yet another Rite Aid store courtesy of Former Retail Employee/Y4123. Rite Aid opened this store, located right in the middle of Melvindale's small downtown area and just a stone's throw away from the Detroit city limits, the Ford River Rouge Complex, and previously-featured-on-this-blog Best Buy #1406, on May 11, 1997.

Just recently, this store's exterior, just like an increasing number of Rite Aid stores, received an exterior remodel that saw the removal of the original blue entrance awnings and their replacement with the new logo. Not all awning stores that got the new logo had their awning removed, though, as exemplified by store #4545 in Wyandotte.

At first glance, though, you'd think the interior would also receive a remodel to coincide with the exterior one. For the true answer to that, Y4123 will take us inside.

Seen this sort of thing before regarding new-logo Rite Aid stores? Even despite the exterior remodel, the interior still sports the same RA1 decor package that it opened with back in 1997. We are standing in the FoodMart department, looking towards the pharmacy counter.

A small part of the Beauty Shop department near the pharmacy counter.

The store's beverage coolers are identical to those in the Taylor store, including the awning.

At the other end of FoodMart is a sizable book and magazine department, and next to that is a small clothing department.

A closeup of the overhead signage for aisle 9, indicative of the RA1 decor's offerings.

 

And on the opposite side of the book and magazine department, we come across the rest of the store's entertainment section. Media and maps are on the left and the photo counter is in the center.

A closeup of one of the DVD shelves in the media section.

A closeup of the beige-and-turquoise Fujifilm machine that we've also seen at several other RA1 stores in this blog's coverage area.

Even the signage below the monitor is a relic, and the inclusion of a 2009 calendar among the example photos proves it. Given the nature of older Rite Aid stores, this isn't surprising.

Y4123's tour concludes with this shot of the road signage style that accompanies Rite Aid's diamond-window stores. The main part wasn't spared in the recent exterior remodel, but the sign below that definitely has seen better days.

Next up are the street level photos.

Rite Aid #4685 - October 2020 - The awning received a slight change in 2012. (Google Street View) 

Rite Aid #4685 - July 2011 - The store's original appearance. (Google Street View)

We wrap the post up with some satellite photos.

Rite Aid #4685 - March 2020 (Google Earth)
 
Rite Aid #4685 - April 2002 (Google Earth)
 
 Rite Aid #4685 - April 1997 - This was less than a month before the store opened, but the entire building is complete and signs are already up. Prior to Rite Aid, a series of smaller buildings stood on the store's footprint. (DTE Aerial Photo Collection)
 
Until next time...
Location: 4016 Oakwood, Melvindale, MI 48122, USA

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