October 26, 2007
Giant Stores Plan Overhauls
We all know that Washingtonians love to complain about the lack of enough good grocery store options within the city, so perhaps this bit of news will bring us all some Friday cheer: local Giant Food stores, often considered some of the worst stores in D.C., are going to be getting makeovers.
Dubbed "Project Refresh" by the company, the updates will include things like new floors and lighting, and focus on improving product quality in key areas of common grievance, like produce. More than half of Giant's 185 stores in the District, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware will fall under the remodeling program.
The Post quotes a Giant representative saying that all stores being renovated will remain open while work is completed -- but which stores will be getting the face-lift? They wouldn't say, other than suggesting the oldest, shabbiest stores would be in line first. If that's the case, we'd imagine some of the first Giant stores to be improved would have to be the Wisconsin Ave. store in Glover Cleveland Park, the O St. store in Shaw, and the Brentwood store in NE. No word yet on what the timeline will be for any of the stores.
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Not that the O street store doesn't need a remodel but isn't it in line for replacement once that area is built out? Would they remodel to demolish?
This is good to hear--it is about time.
It's a good point, Logan Resident. There's some good discussion about the O Street Market development over here, which is theoretically going to break ground sometime next year -- I guess I'm just skeptical it's really going to happen, even though the signs are finally, finally pointing to yes. You're probably right that Giant would skip updating that store since it's going to build a whole new one there eventually.
My Giant was "refreshed" last year. It was positive improvement, however it took FOREVER. Expect at least 9 months of constantly shifting aisles, construction and major cart obstructions.
Isn't the Wisconsin Ave. store closer to Tenleytown??
The Wisconsin Ave. store is on the western edge of Cleveland Park.
Isn't the Wisconsin Ave store considered Cleveland Park? Nit pick, I know.
I don't think the O street Giant is all that bad. Then again, maybe I've lived in DC so long that my expectations are just that low.
Sure, the stores could use a refresh, but IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT'S HOLY, don't take down the old sign on rt.1 in front of store no.40 (Laurel, MD) -- it dates from before the big G logo, and is a thing of gnarly beauty.
Well, I used to shop at the Wisconsin Ave. store when I worked in Glover Park... if someone can give me a hard and fast dividing line about where all the different neighborhoods end and begin along Wisconsin, I'd be much obliged.
If Giant "refreshes" the HR department and hires enough cashiers, their stores might be pleasant places to shop.
My Giant in Silver Spring is pretty good in all the areas mentioned, but the seafood and customer service depts need a major fix...I bought flounder there once and there was a little teeny worm in it. Grossed me out, so I brought it back to customer service for a refund and to let them know. I did get my money back but I don't think it was ever followed up to the seafood section, since I saw some worms in packages after that. Haven't bought fish there since.
IntangibleArts...that store takes me back to my youth...I'm pretty sure that Giant was updated not too long ago.
Mike Licht (Comment 10) is right on.
I have never encountered such a group of bitter people than some of the Giant employees at their O Street NW location.
If shifting everything around into different aisles so you can't find anything qualifies as "refreshing" the store, it seems they are already doing that at the O St Giant...
The O Street store is the only one with parking that's close to me, but boy is it miserable. On several occasions, I've discovered half-eaten food on the shelves (both food sold there and fast food remnants). The lines are atrocious, no matter the day or time. I don't see how a renovation will fix all of that.
The self check machines really help with the long lines. Even accounting for the fact that most people are morons (Excuse me miss, why can't I scan my tomatoes?), and the fact they sometimes malfunction and accuse you of cheating (please remove the unscanned item from the bag), having them means a few more open lines. I was really surprised they didn't have them in the 14th st store.
I don't think the brentwood one is in need of "refreshing".
it's only, what, 4 years old maybe?
The only thing it needs is some kind of crab-guard on the salad bar. If you try to put a salad together after the church crowd on sundays, there is that fake crab stuff in *everything*
Sommer, as a rough guide, along Wisconsin, all of Glover Park is south of the Cathedral and Cleveland Park is north of it. It's just about a mile from the Giant in question to the Glover Park Whole Foods, for example. The Social Safeway is much closer, being just south of the heart of Glover Park.
I meant to add that the Wisconsin Ave. Giant is supposed to be completely redone as part of the huge commercial/residential building project that's in the works for the entire area bounded by Wisconsin Ave., Macomb St. and Idaho Ave. (if this actually happens). You can see those plans here:
http://www.wisconsinavegiant.com/
So I'd guess it might not be a candidate for a more immediate renovation.
Oh the pains of the 14th St store. Everything....is....soooooo.....slow! Still, it's leaps and bounds better than the one that was actually on 14th a little further north. Now that was bad - they never had anything and it took FOREVER to check out.
I thought the Wisconsin Ave. Giant was going to expand into the Murphy's next door. I always hated that Giant when I loved in Glover Park. I always called it the Giant Outlet. After years of the Soviet Safeway, I miss those days!
I was in the Wisconsin Ave Giant last night for the first time in many weeks and I thought the store was finally shutting down. The were shifting a lot of cooler items -- moved location of sour cream but not milk -- and had no stock of items such as boneless chicken breasts. Huge sections of cooler empty so and some shelf areas also. I was actually glad they were finally going to get the renovation underway, but I guess they're just "refreshing" for now. Geez, every time I go in there I vow it will be the last, but sometimes it's just convenient enough for me to put up with it. The cashiers there are really nice, which is one positive note.
Of course, I meant to say "lived in Glover Park." I did my lovin' in Dupont. :)
They did a fairly extensive renovation of the O Street store about 4 years ago -- that was when they added the large wine and beer selection. I also doubt that they'll do much with that store due to the upcoming construction.
And while the lines at the O Street Giant are always long, I have to give the cashiers credit for being the best baggers I've ever seen. They are tops at getting a lot of stuff in the bag, without overloading it, and without causing any breakage or spillage. They should give lessons to the Whole Foods cashiers, who will gladly put your six pack of beer on top of your eggs.
They really could add a self-checkout lane at the Park St. Giant and it'd make things there so, so, so much better.
I second the self-checkout suggestion!
Almost any decent supermarket that's in the 'burbs has self-checkout, and it's a godsend: speeds up small-ticket transactions, makes better use of space.
Amazing what the threat of a little competition will do, isn't it?