414 Main St, Belleville, NJ

Original Tenant: Grand Union
Address: 414 Main Street, Belleville, NJ

Opened: 1950s
Closed: 2001
Later Tenants: Foodtown > A&P > Food Basics (closed 2015) > Fine Fare (2016-2017) > Bell Farm (2017-2019)
Photographed: June 2020

We've crossed the border briefly just about a mile north of the Newark city line to the suburb of Belleville. This 32,000 square foot store is one we've visited before, but I returned after it closed for good in the summer of 2020. It's currently being prepared, according to property owner RIPCO, for a new LIDL. For the record, although I know I've mentioned this before, I strongly dislike LIDL.

The property owners did an exterior renovation on the whole strip, which still had its Grand Union facade (remember that was five stores ago when Bell Farm opened), and it looks nice if a bit bland. Notice that the sign we see here is the same sign that was previously on the old facade, but now reading "supermarket" instead of "supermarkets." There was only ever one Bell Farm. Or sometimes they called themselves Bell Farms. Either one works, I suppose.

Not a bad looking strip mall at all, but a bit quiet. Hopefully a new supermarket will liven up the space a little.

"Bell Farms" on the street sign.

The side of the store, which faces the exit/entrance ramp to NJ-21, the highway that runs behind this store. A third sign with a third name for the store -- we have Bell Farm Supermarket on the front, Bell Farms on the street sign, and Bell Farm Supermarkets on the side.

The entrance is papered over, but there's one part that had peeled off. There's honestly not much to see inside...

The whole interior has been completely cleared out. The only remaining element from the supermarket is the posts along what would've been the grand aisle here.

The space is almost a perfect square. Here we're looking over towards what would've been frozen and dairy to the far right.

Harder to peek in the exit, since the doors were fully covered. This is unfortunately the only view I was able to get, from a window on the front.

Looking over to where the registers were. I have one more interior picture from a window farther to the right...

I took this picture first and was a little worried this was the only interior shot I would be able to get. Luckily, the shots from the entrance are much clearer. Well, it'll be interesting to keep an eye on this location and see how LIDL does moving in here. But for now, we're heading back into Newark for our next store tour at the south end of the Mount Prospect neighborhood over on The Independent Edition tomorrow!