Former Burger King Construction (Manassas, VA)

Welcome back to the Shoppes at Battery Mill! Today, in our broad portfolio of nationally-recognized tenants, we will be looking at a rather common food tenant, that being the venerable Home of the Whopper. Though this time, it's probably not a part of any retail tenant collection, given it's closed down.

Former Burger King - Manassas, VA

Restaurant info

• Address: 10850 Promenade Ln, Manassas, VA 20109
• Opening date: Circa 1994
• Closing date: July or August 2018
• Features: Luxury interior, greenhouse seating, outdoor seating (former play area)
• Is now: Sonic Drive-In 

Built as part of the Promenade at Manassas shopping center, this Burger King once served as a fast-food hallmark for travelers on Interstate 66 and local residents alike. The restaurant once stood among the likes of Walmart and Builders Square, before both tenants left the shopping center. While the center continues to thrive, shifts in the market have allotted for new construction and tenants to replace original stores in the center. As a result, Burger King has moved across to the street to a new location and left this one behind. Though its abandonment is not without surprise - lots of BK remnants stayed in place, almost as if they evacuated said place. It's quite odd to see, I tell you!

This particular store is now a Sonic, who signed a lease not long after Burger King's move and opened in this spot after renovations on September 18, 2019. It is the first Sonic in Northern Virginia to open.

With that being said, let the tour begin.

 We start with the back of the store. Besides a spot for an old square Burger King sign, there's not a lot to see here. The landscaping looks decent for a store that's been closed for months.

Here's a full view of the angled facade, with the labelscar appearing on the top. I do have to wonder if the painting behind the labelscar could be the original color scheme from opening.

But hey, that's just a theory... a Retail Theory*! (* = not trademarked yet)

Looking inside the entrance of said facade, you are able to see construction in progress for the next tenant, Sonic. Old wall studs are being dismantled, with fresh new studs making the new floorplan viable. Interior views are cool and all, but why not we take a walk out to the drive-thru?

Here we go. The first board in the drive-thru advertises options for sandwiches and burgers. Whether you like chicken or beef, an advertising spot is guaranteed.

Chicken Fries... Oreo Shakes... all part of a real meal. What's not to enjoy over here?

We've come to the big-ticket spot, the menu board featuring recent BK items. It's all flashy, yet easy to read for all choices, That is, except for the combos and calories. There's also

Here's a close-up of said drive-thru board.

Now that we've ordered, moving on to greener pastures... wait, we've got an order to finish though. The hill here used to read "BURGER-KING" in gravel and was planted over after the move. It's a shame you can't always get such a cool perspective at the place you move to.

 A look inside the greenhouse, filled with small scaffolding and rubble from the remodel. This I believe was one of the last examples of greenhouse seating within fast food restaurants ('tis a shame). The interior prior had a formal look, with checkerboard tiles, plants, and wooden walls/seats finishing the space out.

 

Let's take a gander at the new restaurant, opened within the past year. While retaining some traits of the old restaurant, the new store features a concept interior and two drive-thru lanes.

A look at the greenhouse/patio seating area, some things that aren't that common in today's fast-food world. The outdoor section used to be a play area that was dismantled sometime in the early 2010s, likely for the usual reasons.

Here we are to the place of ordering. The sun shines softly on this fast-food staple of the 90s.

Amongst the plywood walls, an untouched drive-thru booth remains. Through the window you can see some tilted lighting panels from the interior as construction marches on.

A sticker from the late 2000s era of BK within the drive-thru window. Isn't this something you wish would be free? (talking about the sauces, of course)

Back to the inside - this time from another perspective! I believe this room would wind up being Sonic's kitchen. It was slightly repurposed from the old Burger King format.

Rounding out the drive-thru, you can see the brickwork being dismantled for the new Sonic facade. While tailored to said chain's design, the facade continues to maintain the basic structure of everyone's favorite flame-broiled restaurant.

Those spatula door handles are something unique about Burger King. Sure, they may not be as convenient, but at least they work. Not at this point though.

Bonus Photo

Here's the Arby's just steps away from the old Burger King. This store appears to be an early-to-mid-2000s addition to the center.

That being said, hope you enjoyed this treat of an abandoned fast food adventure! More posts are coming right up, and that being said, thanks for the support and hope to see you guys soon! -BatteryMill

Target - Fairfax (Merrifield), VA

Photos taken on August 14, 2019 by The Battery Mill

Welcome back to the Shoppes of Battery Mill! First off, apologies for not posting here. While I was busy with other matters, I have decided to stick to this blog to continue posting retail photos. I have been writing multiple blog posts, all of which will be coming soon. However, I'll start this one off with a national retail staple in a rather unique location.

Store info

• Store number: T-2790
• Address: 2905 District Ave S, Ste 400, Fairfax, VA 22031
• Opening date: October 10, 2012
• Innovation remodels: Home, E&E, A&A 2.0, Grocery
• Features: CVS Pharmacy, Photo, Café/Pizza Hut Express, Starbucks Coffee, Beer & Wine

This Target store is part of the mixed-use Mosaic District development in eastern Fairfax County, near Falls Church and Arlington. The development consists of numerous upscale retail outlets, restaurants, and attractions in addition to a sizable district of brownstones and apartments. The Mosaic District replaced a former Multiplex Cinemas on site, as well as several smaller businesses abutting Gallows Road and Lee Highway. Since its inception, numerous other mixed-use projects have been constructed within a few miles.

At the time of opening, Target already had a strong presence in the Washington, D.C. area. This store is their most recent large-format store in the region, as the chain has been focusing on smaller flex-formats in urban developments. On the account of urban-format locations, this store could be considered as one of those, seeing as it is located within such a development. In particular, this store is set on the fourth floor of its building, perched on top of a parking garage and numerous smaller tenants.
Without further ado, let's head shopping and begin our store tour.

 The main street through the entire Mosaic District development, as seen through a crosswalk. The CustomInk headquarters is nearby, with Tarzhay not far behind in its glamorous modern building.

Three steps to parking!

 Located at the parking garage entrance, one of Mosaic's directory signs. Could this have predicted Target's lowercase logo?

\

Bullseyes galore! As it has become an integral component of Target, they've certainly managed to place the icon boldly within their architecture. The first photo is located within the lower level parking garage, with the second being located within the first floor of the stairwell.

Featured here is a cartwell on the third floor. From here to the fourth floor, where Target does their business, a set of Vermaport escalators enables guests to transport their carts to the store and back. Due to this, the shopping carts used within this store lack the lower racks for merchandise.

While the store used all-plastic prototype carts from its opening, they recently opted to exchange their fleet for Target's latest hybrid design. Interestingly, several other multi-level locations have also returned to the standby.

Entering the store, the first department presented is none other than softlines. This particular view features the Maternity and Menswear sections, as well as the fitting rooms. Notice the offset "Fitting Rooms" sign does not directly complement the department itself.

Alongside other Innovation remodels, the clothing department here has also been subject to such a reset. Shelving has been rearranged and replaced throughout, providing for emphasis on their new clothing brands. Certain less-performing sections, including jewelry, have been reduced or removed completely. Additionally, the chain's old signature red walls have made way for new gray, pivoting towards the concepts of their full-scale remodels.

Within the electronics department, you are able to see the P09 lanterns, introduced in a later iteration of the package. Other portions of the store have had such decorational elements, which have been removed with Innovation remodels.

A look at a typical P09 signage, as part of a décor package that, before Target's current remodel campaign, was the most common kind in the chain. This sign signifies the travel section featuring luggage and other items for long-distance voyages.

Looking around the sporting goods corner and into the grocery department, a price scanner kiosk stands tall in the endcap. This is the design used in both P09 and P13, something which seems rather temporary and low-key than anything else.

One thing I've noticed here is the lack of an actual price-scanning machine at this kiosk. This is something I also observed at the Manassas West store in the same general location.

Looking into the seasonal section, back-to-school items are seen during their respective shopping season. The store carries an assortment of products for said season, ranging from basic school supplies to college furniture items. You may also notice a slight angle making up the store's corner.
This wall configuration mirrors that of the exterior's east face, as seen in this inset photo.

This photo features the grocery aisles, and is facing the back of the store. Not long ago, the store's PFresh department was repainted and given new overhead fixtures as part of an Innovation remodel. The partial remodel differentiated the grocery section from the rest of the store, featuring a color scheme that resembles natural foods stores more than a typical Target store.

This remodel has appeared at numerous area stores, and has also been incorporated into their full-scale renovation program. While this is a rather conventional change in today's retail world, there's something rather unorthodox about Target's reset.

This, in particular is a new home for their alcoholic beverages. In line with typical design
This alcove was likely cut out of the store's backroom - though I presume it would be interesting to see how that place is organized with such an addition reshaping such an area. It is also unclear as to where these products were originally displayed, and what is in place in the regular grocery aisles.

A close-up of a Target price scanner kiosk in the home goods section, featuring a classic assistance handset and the store map. The actual price scanner is on the left side.

Looking in again to the store map. This is the map design used by Target during the late P09 era (2012-13). It favors a minimalist design consisting of simple gray departments on an isometric plane, with the multi-level entrance simply being depicted with dotted lines and all the methods to get up/down to the ground (sans interpretations on the first three levels). This map design was carried over and slightly tweaked for the P13 package.

A look at the in-store CVS Pharmacy (formerly a Target Pharmacy) just to the right of the front end area. Interestingly, this store has up to 24 checkouts. I imagine these lanes are seldom used, though it's quite a large amount even for this kind of store!

 

Looking closer at checklane light 21, where a portion of the entrance and guest service can be seen. Target used these checkout lights for new stores/remodels until this past year, when they switched to a new clear configuration.

Looking from the same checkout, you can see more inactive checkout lanes stocked with various merchandise. In the distance, the restrooms, as well as other general information boards and an ATM are visible. CVS Pharmacy's spot is to the right.

Looking just outside the Mosaic District development, this is an interestingly geometrically laid out sign with all major tenants included. Target's portion of the sign is solely depicted as a bullseye, something that has become more common with their newest locations.

 

At the northwest corner of the store, an array of signage and architectural elements mark the store's territory. In the second picture, the parking garage is exposed within its architecture as well. One of the lower tenants is a newer Neiman Marcus Last Call discount outlet. 

With this, our store tour concludes at a full circle. Though any store tour is not complete without something extra...

Bonus photos

This is an entrance to the Taylor Gourmet home goods shop located in the Target entrance vestibule. The store has another entrance through the exterior as well.

Edit 3/22/2020: Another bonus photo of the Target exterior looking southeast. Gotta love those futuristic tiles!

That being said, thanks for enjoying my post! I am certainly hoping to post more soon on here. My next posts will feature never-before-seen content from my retail photo backlog, as well as some old favorites that I moved from Flickr.

'Till next time, stay tuned! -BatteryMill

Shoppers - College Park, MD (Retro Store Tour)

Hello and welcome again to the Shoppes of Battery Mill blog! Today we have some more classic retail treasures - this time from one of Washington, D.C./Baltimore's most famous grocers, Shoppers Food.

This store in particular is located in College Park, MD and follows the Shoppers Club concept. This concept, introduced in the mid-1990s in the midst of Shoppers' growth period and the rise of warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club. This concept made sure to bank on the original warehouse-style format of Shoppers though departments were vastly expanded to provide more selection.
The photos here are an archive of said store before opening, as the stocking process was happening. 

Shoppers - College Park, MD (as of 1998)

Store Info

• Location: 4720 Cherry Hill Rd, College Park, MD 20740
• Opened: 1998
• Remodeled: 2005 ("Smart Shoppers Shop Shoppers" package), 2012 (Fresh & Healthy package)
• Features (at the time of opening): Deli, Seafood, Shoppers Café, Cheese, Salad Bar, Olive Bar, Fountain Drinks, Bakery/Colossal Donuts, International, Natural & Organic Foods, Club Paks, Health & Beauty

I certainly appreciate the feel the architects were going for with this shopping center. While the façade gives off a more modernist/scientific design it manages to retain some colonial aspects.

With that, let's begin a vintage tour of this Shoppers Food store as it appeared upon opening in 1998.

Once a customer has settled into the store, they were able to peruse this vast produce selection. Rows of fruits and vegetables made for an attractive, yet low-price display they could shop. The decor utilized in this area (and the interior as a whole) abided by typical warehouse fare, as seen by plain slatted walls and an industrial use of the color orange. There were also elements that break from the traditional design, such as the occasional use of neon and overhead produce lights. This store also implemented mercury-vapor lighting, something that was occasionally utilized in these stores.

Now here is the deli corner, filled with various service departments and foods that you could fancy.  Included in this is the cheese cooler, shelves of deli snacks, and the olive bar. The decorations that sat above the olive bar helped to give a more rural, yet authentic feel to these stores.

 Now here's a close-up of the cheese section. This corner contains a variety of cheeses from different international sources and flavors, however is smaller than something on the lines of Wegmans being confined to a single cooler instead of a service counter.

This is certainly something you wouldn't see at a Shoppers store today. While SFW transitioned to a generic mid-level grocer under SuperValu (comparable to Giant/Safeway in the region) and also expanded upon some departments, concepts like these from Shoppers Club were ditched.

 

The bakery court follows the corner containing the deli and cheese departments. Here you were able to select from different types of baked goods you needed. The neon and scripts provided for excellent accenting to this store.

On the left side of the bakery, Shoppers offers a wide assortment of small baked goods - including large ones, being none other than their world-famous Colossal Donuts! This is an attractive case filled to the brim with such, that Shoppers long had expertise in and continues to have today. In fact, those cinnamon donuts would be pretty cool...

To make the bakery stand out even more, it's no secret that an extensive bakery section would be a go-to.   A rear menu board helps customers to decide which of these breads are right for them.

 

Amongst the slatted warehouse walls, Shoppers showcased a cooler of cakes. This is one attractive, yet simple display for any event where cake is useful.

Here is the main Club Paks section now featuring larger, bulk quantities of boxed groceries. As evident by the banners, Shoppers put themselves in front of the comeptition by advertising their membership-free advantages. In the distance, the front end and checkouts are also visible.

Sadly I believe this concept did not last upon SFW entering the SuperValu fray. As the chain was reworked into a conventional grocer, Shoppers discontinued their club paks and streamlined their inventory to favor regular product sizes. Overall, this is certainly something that made Shoppers stand out before the SuperValu acquisition and a new owner should certainly implement this.

Among several departments Shoppers Club introduced, an aisle for healthful foods was on the cards. At a time when natural and organic products were only beginning to enter grocery stores and Whole Foods was in a lesser state, Shoppers banked on these products, selling them at lower warehouse prices.

This is an ostensibly broader natural foods selection than most found the SuperValu era. While Shoppers and its parent organization made inroads to promote such products later on, the selection has often been minimal, being confined to small rows of coolers.

As an addendum, this is the store's map at the time. As some portions of the plan were modified during planning, some of these aisles/sections may not be accurate. In retrospect, this layout resembles that of later Shoppers stores while retaining some of the basics from the classic warehouse days.

The store today

The store prior to remodeling in 2012 - retaining the classic Shoppers logo. Credit: Shoppers Food

Since these photos were taken Shoppers has made numerous changes to the store in order to bring it in line with the rest of the chain. From what I believe some layout modifications were made once SFW was absorbed into SuperValu, eliminating the Shoppers Club concept and introducing a service pharmacy/bank. The former move was especially made considering later stores would adopt conventional shelving and therefore discontinue warehouse-style products along with paid plastic bags. The store would later undergo two remodels to maintain a modern standard along with the rest of the Shoppers Food chain.

The store is still open as of this post's writing, however with the unpredictability of Shoppers and their steady contraction this may change. From what I've seen this store appears to be high-volume and one of SFW's more profitable locations, so it may either hang on or continue under another local chain.

Anyhow, thanks for reading this blog's first full post. If you liked what you read, make sure to leave a comment here and pass it on to your friends! You may also leave any corrections or suggestions if you are more knowledgeable about this topic.
That's all folks! -BatteryMill 

Photos found via archive.org versions of shoppersfood.com. Note that the website's gallery was not archived in its entirety.