Anybody checked out the NEW Giant at Tivoli theater in Columbia Heights? It's new, clean, well-lit, did I mention new and clean They actually stock things like creme freche and more than 3 kinds of smoked meats, a great selection of Asian and Mexican ingredients, and a respectable amount of organic/all natural foods. They have fresh-looking fruits, veggies, and seafood and it is HUGE. The reason it may be nice so far is that it is surrounded by construction and a little hard to see from the street, but it's worth the search because the people who work there are nice.

Now, the deli needs help -- who is buying Watergate Salad in bulk, if at all? Does anyone remember this? If you grew up on Cool-Whip, you do.

But it's a start, and a major improvement over the "crack Giant" at 9th and P where I am usually forced to go after work for "a few things." That place is OK inside and not too bad if you don't need anything remotely gourmet and you have half and hour or more to spend in line, but I usually leave pretty steamed.

I actually have been there a couple of times recently. Big fan, with the sole exception of the seafood counter, which has never appeared particularly appetizing. Also don't like their selection of frozen shrimp, but I guess you can't have it all.

The place is clean, big, well-lit, and the people are great. Even the check-out lines are a pleasant experience.

Giant put the "Crack Giant" in just off a major riot corridor when everyone with a couple of dollars to rub together was leaving the city as fast as they could. It served a huge swath of very poor DC that was largely reliant on walking and bus service to get their groceries home -- though there used to be a crowd of old retired guys who'd line up out front shooting the breeze with one another and giving old ladies (and me) a lift home for a few bucks. As far as I know, the lines have been slow since the early 80s, when I was shopping there regularly, but the checkers have always been friendly.

And, if it was never on par with the Social Safeway, it was a vast benefit to the neighborhood, and a reminder of how nice it was to have a locally-owned grocery chain that was willing to take a risk in a poor neighborhood-- long before there were $400K condos within walking distance.

I still get in every now and again and always laugh to see the wine section and how many white people shop there now.

I think the 9th and P Giant is doing a good thing for the neighborhood, it just may be time to revamp it, hire more checkers, and redirect the folks exposing themselves in the parking lot everyday.

Went into the Van Ness Giant for the first time in months and they have officially set a date to close for renovations--October 7th. They will run shuttles to the new store on 14th Street a few days a week but it won't be the same.

Not that I really shop there much.

They also seem to have stopped getting deliveries on somethings--the magazines and candy are completely gone and the canned goods are starting to look a little thin.

Jennifer

March 23rd--I have my doubts that we'll see much improvement in the quality for very long but it will be nice to have it back when the mood strikes for something that requires lemons and I have none in the house!

I hit the newly remodeled Giant in Van Ness last night on my way home and was mostly impressed. The store is brighter and cleaner than the previous version, with wider aisles and a much expanded produce section. Would have done more exploring but the lines were extremely long and I really just wanted to get my items and go.

Went to the renovated Giant this afternoon. Sent Mr. BLB this morning for milk for my coffee.

They hid the organic milk in a special section that he couldn't find. Boo, hiss...

They have stopped carrying individual donuts from Krispy Kreme and now carry freshly made Giant Donuts. (When I asked, I was told I could of course still by the crappy, stale boxes of six KK...) Double boo, hiss....

Other than that, the store is huge and clean and for the most part seems to be well laid out. Only time will tell if it stays that way.

I'm still going to my shopping at WF, TJ and the various farmers markets but it is nice to be able to go to the store without every seeing the light of day again.

Jennifer

Not a chance, lets check back in 90 days.

Hang on a tic... Giant is making their own doughnuts again? I was not pleased when they shut down their bakeries and polluted their stores with those Krispy Kremes drowning in a sugary glop. Sigh. Giant used to make an airy, eggy cruller with just a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of chocolate glaze. Yum.

This is about the thrid time that they have switched back and forth between their own donuts (which I really find abominable and the worst of any grocery store in town) and Krispy Creme.

I love the Krispy Kremes that come from their own stores, but the ones they sell in grocery stores and convenience stores are pretty awful too.

I was in a Giant this morning and they had a new sign up - "Krispy Kreme - back by popular demand". I had a sweet craving so I got one - Thought it sucked. It was more like a sugar glop. What a waste of calories.

Meh. It's just not right to ship them on a truck...they're only good fresh off the production line. And I really wish they'd ditch those awful fake crullers for a proper choux.

...says the guy who, at a charity function, bid-on and won a Krispy Kreme t-shirt, hat, coffee mug, toy truck, boxers, and donuts for a year...

Well, its still huge, clean and well laid out, but there some telltale adjustments being made, possibily due to a lack of demand for some of their higher end offerings. The bakery offerings have been significantly scaled back - they used to have several different types of cakes, available whole or by the slice but now only offer plain old sponge cake by the slice.

The cheese counter is interesting and has some pretty good selections, Fougerous, Humboldt Fog etc but I have never seen a staff member actually working the cheese counter and most of the prewrapped selections are too big and theres no one around to cut them. My guess is the selection here will decline over time as well.

I'm sure it's the case with many chains, but I've found Giant's in particular to be very spotty from location to location. There are two Giant's within 2 miles of where I live, one on King Street at Bailey's Crossroads and one at Bradlee Center. I absolutely refuse to set foot in the one at Bradlee Center any longer as it always takes years to checkout. However, the one in Bailey's Crossroads is, while not a pleasure, at least not painful to shop in. If only there were a Harris Teeter nearby... I grew up with them in NC and think they are probably among the nicest "non-niche" grocery stores. The one in Pentagon Center is somewhat convenient as we are in the area a decent bit, but getting in and out of their is such a pain in the butt!

Has anyone been to the newly re-opened Giant in Chevy Chase? Such and improvement over the previous incarnation. It is not a huge store, but it is clean, nice wide aisles, well-stocked and very nice employees. Don't be put off by the "pay" parking lot, they validate and it is free if you are there for under an hour.

Via DCist:

Giant discontinuing low-selling products, reducing consumer options

I lament what has happened to Giant in the 25 years I've lived here. It used to be a wonderful grocery store and I loved shopping there. I'd walk on foot to the Greenbelt store (where the Staples is now; Giant moved across the street), and could find everything I could possibly want. Service was good. Prices were reasonable.

Over the years, I've shopped at a number of the locations, and the general decline has been depressing. Some individual stores are still pretty good, but the chain is a shadow of what it was.

There is but one store in the chain that I think is worth going to, but the rest of them are a big disappointment. The new one on Rt 50 in Falls Church is terrible, I spent 20 minutes watching one customer buy a 1/2 lb of everything in the deli case (specifying "I want the end piece" on everything....it's cold cuts, fer crying out loud!) therefore hogging one very slow deli clerk while the other clerk on duty spent more time rummaging in a cooler full of cheese than really doing anything....finally, I threw my numbered ticket in my cart and walked out and went to Harris Teeter. At least one person in front of me had done the same thing already. Life is too short for that nonsense.