In the year of our lord 1972, a bright, shiny new supermarket opened in Olney, a sleepy suburb about midway between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. There weren’t many food shopping options here then; Giant was a brave, lonely pioneer (although joined by a Safeway in 1978). And, as the population and shopping choices have increased over the years, the Giant is upping its game.
The Sign on the Wall of the New Store
Giant now occupies the Shopper’s Food Warehouse space in the shopping center kitty-corner to the old building. The change happened overnight, as planned. Some patrons weren’t even aware of the switch until they showed up at the old store Friday morning and were directed across the street.
The press walk-through on the Thursday revealed a store not quite ready for prime time, but our Sherpa, Daniel Wolk, promised it would be ready by opening time Friday (6 a.m.)
Checkout Aisles
Empty Pharmacy Shelves
Shelves and Signs
The pharmacy presented a particularly thorny situation. As Christine Musser, the pharmacy district manager, and Yosef Wondwossen, the store pharmacy manager, told me, transporting their inventory of drugs worth more than $500,000 across the street required specially-trained, HIPAA-certified personnel. Yet, it was done in one night.
Returning for the ribbon-cutting on Friday morning, we found a fully fitted, bustling store complete with cheerful employees eager to show off each department’s merchandise.
Pizza Samples
Hot Bar Samples
Rushelle of the Bakery Department, Rockin’ Her Union Button
There were also many representatives of products and product lines the store is stocking.
Local Business Soupergirls Sampling Their Wares
Dave Noll Represents Brookwood Farms BBQ from North Carolina
Another Local Touch! Mambo Sauce!
Gloria Hands Out Boars Head Ham Samples
And what an event that ribbon-cutting was! Dave Johnson, longtime Washington sports announcer, acted as Master of Ceremonies. He brought along the Wizards mascot, G-Wiz, who did what mascots do. Serena Page sang the National Anthem.
Dave Johnson and G-Wiz
Serena Sings
There were remarks by Gordon Reid, the President of Giant Food. I’d noticed many other folks walking the aisles in business dress without shopping carts. An informant told me there were about 60 executives from the Giant company present. Very impressive.
Steven Green, the store manager, also spoke. Then he introduced all the store department managers for a group photo.
Gordon Reid, Giant President
Steven Green, Giant Store Manager
And All the Managers!
There were presentations of large checks to local institutions: Manna Food Center, For 3 Sisters (dedicated to fighting breast cancer and helping survivors), the Sandy Spring Volunteer Fire Department, and the Montgomery County Police Department.
Large Check, and the Amount is Big, Too
Then the ribbon was actually cut, with the help of Liz Bryant, a 47-year Giant employee. She helped open the original Olney store and is still going strong.
Liz Cuts the Ribbon
With over 40,000 square feet of selling space, the new store is 14,000 square feet bigger than the old one. It’s brighter, too, courtesy of l.e.d. lighting, not only at ceiling-level but also under the shelves. There are many tall cold cases, which allow food to be stored “behind doors” in energy-efficient spaces instead of keeping the whole store at the bone-chilling temperatures many other supermarkets maintain.
A View of the Store, Cold Cases on Left
Another View
There is more gourmet cheese, a bigger kosher section, and an expanded prepared food department. There are more store-brand items (including “Nature’s Promise,” their line of organic and “free-from” products). There’s a PNC Bank branch, and a full-service pharmacy. There are all the departments you’d expect to find, and also a sushi chef, and a kombucha fountain.
I tried hard not to judge, even though I have not been able to wrap my taste buds around kombucha. The Wild Kombucha is supplied by Sergio Malarin, a perfectly charming and earnest guy from Baltimore, and you can get it by the growler, right next to the Coca-Cola dispenser.
Sergio and Debbie at the Kombucha Dispenser
Now You’re Talking! Zin Offers Sushi Samples
And Speaking of Healthy, Free Fruit for Kids Instead of Cookies
Giant employs a flying squad of nutritionists, who split their time among several stores in each territory. The Olney store is under the wing of Melanie Berdyck, who oversees a program of in-store classes and extensive online advice on topics such as eating on a budget, debunking myths, and evidence-based health information.
I met two guys from the produce department, and we had a nice conversation about exotic vegetables. When I asked them about Romanesco cauliflower, they pointed me to one of the full-wall displays of crucifers. And there it was! I was one happy shopper.
De’Ante McMillian and Robert Shockley of the Produce Department
The Great Wall of Vegetables
My Market Basket: Ginger, Romanesco, Jicama
And there’s a Starbucks. Yes, folks, Olney is now a five-Starbucks town. Who’s a sleepy suburb now?
