Photo by justindc.

It’s been no secret that, at some point, the Giant supermarket at 1414 8th Street NW in Shaw would close — after all, it’s difficult to build a new development which features a brand new, 35,000-square-foot supermarket with an old one standing in the way. Today, the chain confirmed that the grocery would close on September 8 at 6 p.m.

The 100 or so employees at the soon-to-be-closed store will be transferred to other Giants; but what are residents who usually use the supermarket supposed to do until the new store opens in 2013? Fortunately, Giant will operate a free shuttle between the Gibson Plaza apartment building at 1301 7th Street NW and the Tivoli Giant in Columbia Heights at 1345 Park Road NW. The shuttle will operate at the following times:

>> Sundays: pick up at Gibson Plaza at noon; leave Tivoli at 2 p.m.
>> Tuesdays: pick up at Gibson Plaza at 9:30 a.m.; leave Tivoli at 11:30 a.m.
>> Thursdays: pick up at Gibson Plaza at 9:30 a.m.; leave Tivoli at 11:30 a.m.

We have to imagine that Sunday shuttle will probably fill up insanely fast, but at least Giant realizes that the closure of the store will put a real crimp in the neighborhood’s grocery shopping routine and is doing something to help.