Giant Eagle Reopens ‘Dark’ Store to the Public

Giant Eagle is reopening one of its two “dark” stores to in-store shopping. The Garfield Heights, Ohio, store had been closed in April to customers and served as a microfulfillment location with curbside pickup only to accommodate increased e-commerce orders due to the pandemic. Several other retailers, including Whole Foods, Kroger and Raley’s, have turned some store locations into dark stores as well, but Giant Eagle’s shift back to in-store shopping may be a further indication that life is slowing beginning to return to its pre-pandemic patterns.

The Garfield Heights location will continue to offer curbside pickup between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

“The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created an urgent need for food retailers to innovate and find ways to make contactless pickup and delivery options available to more people and converting our Garfield Heights store was critical for our ability to meet the needs of Cleveland-area Giant Eagle guests,” said Giant Eagle spokesperson Jannah Jablonowski in a statement. “We are now in a position to meet the increased demand for grocery pickup and home delivery services with same-day and next-day slots available to guests at most locations, and with that, felt it was time to welcome guests back into our Garfield Heights supermarket.”

The second dark location in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which transitioned in March, is still operating as a microfulfillment center for curbside pickup and deliveries.