The closing of the Giant Food store on Route 40 in Edgewood will hurt efforts to improve the area, said the president of a local business association.
The grocery has been a mainstay since it opened in November 1973. It will close before the end of the year, a Giant spokesman said.
“I am very concerned about what happens in that area,” said Alan Doran, president of the Route 40 Business Association. He said it was “a definite blow” to county and state efforts to revitalize Edgewood?s Route 40 corridor.
“I know there are going to be a lot of people, especially those who live close to the store and walk to it, who are going to be hurt by this,” Doran said.
Giant announced last week that it would be closing seven stores across the state as part of the company?s expansion and remodeling plan.
“These stores are old and antiquated,” spokesman Barry Scher said.
Giant has been opening new stores that are 60,000 square feet. Scher said the Edgewood Giant is half that size.
Still, loyal customers expressed disappointment.
“I shop the Giant at least once a week,” said Carolyn Hicks.
“The businesses along Route 40 are dying, and we?re supposed to be luring people here through BRAC?” she asked. She answered her own question by simply laughing.
BRAC refers to the Base Realignment and Closure commission, the military panel whose recommendations are expected to bring thousands of jobs to the area surrounding the Aberdeen Proving Ground.
About 60 employees work at the Giant store, Scher said. He said Giant plans to offer each employee, including those working at other stores slated to be closed, positions at other Giant Food stores.
“It?s not a big deal for us. We always have openings,” he said.
Scher said that any Giant employee who ends up unemployed as a result of the Edgewood store closing made the decision to leave the company.
Based in the Baltimore-Washington area, Giant also operates stores in Bel Air and Abingdon.
