N.M. Cohen and Samuel Lehrman opened the first Giant store in Washington, D.C. in 1936. The store's operating philosophy sought to achieve a price advantage over competitors through a high-volume, self-service operation. As the company expanded, Giant integrated vertically through house-branded products and chain-owned meat packing plants. The company was an early adopter of many of the features now common among contemporary supermarkets, including: automated entrances; shopping carts; computerized inventory control and customer data; and checkout scanners. It was among the first grocery chains to include service centers, such as pharmacies, florists and bakeries, within their stores. Giant eventually expanded into Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. The chain was purchased by the Dutch company Royal Ahold in 1998, but supermarkets and internet commerce still operate under the Giant name.
From the guide to the Giant Food Stores Advertising Collection, 1951-2001, (David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University)
