Giant Food to Open First Gas Station 2008

DAN ALAIMO

LANDOVER, Md. — Giant Food here will open its first gas station next month, said spokesman Jamie Miller.

The facility will have five fueling islands and will be located on the premises of an existing store in Pasadena, Md., Miller told SN. While a payment kiosk will be staffed, it will not have convenience store offerings. Giant Food is an operating banner of Ahold USA, Quincy, Mass.

Miller said the fueling center is not a test, although the retailer will monitor and evaluate the operation as it looks for opportunities to build others. It has no plans for additional gas stations at this time.

“This is our first one, and at this point we are going to keep our options open and see how this progresses, while evaluating other opportunities as they present themselves,” he said.

Giant Food will have a promotional program based on spending in the store, with discounts based on levels of purchases, he said. The discounts will be generated at the point of sale by the Checkout Coupon system of Catalina Marketing, St. Petersburg, Fla.

“It's just one more addition to the one-stop-shopping environment that our industry continues to evolve. This is part of that evolution where customers can stop at one location, fill their cars with gas, pick up their prescriptions and do their grocery shopping. Customer convenience is really what is driving this,” Miller said.