[dcgrocery]

http://delraycitizens.org/2014/03/06/gr ... iant-site/

One of the last (if not the last) 1960's era Giant stores is going to close. It is a must visit store if you are in the area. At only 16,000sq feet it might be the smallest Giant that is still in operation. In the mid 1960's this was a typical new style Giant with the gold 'cheese grater' exterior. A new store in Potomac Yards will replace this location. It would be awesome if someone can get some photos to share. The address is: 425 E Monroe Ave, Alexandria, VA 22301.

[mjhale]

We must have been thinking the same thing. I'd planned to get pictures of the Del Ray store for some time and finally got down there on 8/31/14. I've know about this store for a long time and actually shopped there a few times when I lived in Alexandria in the late 1990s. I'd hit Shoppers in Potomac Yards and then this store since it was close by. At the time the Del Ray store wasn't as junky as the Giant on Glebe Road. Here are the pictures:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjhale/se ... 6703567848

By the way the Giant on Glebe Road used to have "Giant Food" written out on the roof line in huge neon letters. If only I had thought to take pictures of it. The store was remodeled and expanded into the dead Rite Aid that was to the left of the store in the late 1990s. That was around the time that the ghetto apartments at I-395 and Glebe Road were demoed and rebuilt as upscale luxury apartment homes.

[dcgrocery]

Great job with the photos! I'm pretty sure this store once had a mini seafood and mini meat department. It was along the back wall, now covered by freezer cases. Most of the cheese grater stores were very similar. A twin to it was at Fairfax Circle where the Staples is. That was one of the few 'lemon' stores that Giant ever operated. It barely lasted 10 years from what I remember. When Giant vacated it was a longtime Drug Fair. I think one reason the store failed was that it was too close to Kamp Washington which was a Super Giant and had much more selections. Like Glebe Road, the Kamp Washington also had a huge red neon on the roof except it said 'Super Giant'. Please message me your email - I DO have some crummy photos of the Glebe Road red neon sign and perhaps you can color correct them to share. I know nothing about photo manipulation software. Also I see you just got the 1951 Alexandria Giant photos. That store will be history with the new landlord.

[umtrr-author]

Thanks for the photos. Interesting that they did take the time to cover the old logo on the storefront with the latest version of the Giant trademark.