A MAGAZINE LABORATORY

Dan Alaimo

PITTSBURGH -- Giant Eagle is testing new inline book and magazine racks in its recently opened flagship store in Lyndhurst, Ohio in the Cleveland area. The store also includes new front-end magazine racks that are now being rolled out to the entire chain, said Chuck Porter, director, Iggle entertainment and video, who is also in charge of books and magazines.

The new inline racks are part of the Genesis system from Source Interlink Cos., Bonita Springs, Fla., featuring colorful graphics on top. "They show a full facing of each of the magazines, which is a much better presentation to the consumer than our old fixtures," Porter said.

The racks also are being tested in a Wexford, Pa., store, he said. "I expect these racks to increase our sales for the inline section."

The front-end magazine racking system also from Source, which in addition to full-facings of magazines includes space for candy and general merchandise items, began rolling out in the middle of last month.

The rollout will be completed by the middle of this month, Porter said. "I expect the new front-end racks to dramatically increase our magazine sales, as well as our candy and general merchandise sales."

Besides replacing existing units at front-end checkout lanes, the new system also extends magazine displays to self-checkout lanes to the sides of soft-drink coolers and to freestanding racks. "Now we have magazines on every aisle, where in the past there were a number of aisles that didn't have them."