Going, Going, Gone

Thursday marked the last day of operations for the Giant Food store at the Rotunda and the opening for the new Green Spring Tower Square location.

The new location, at 1020 W. 41st St., is scheduled to have a premiere night from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday. Elected city officials and representatives from Giant are expected to celebrate the opening of the new 48,500-square-foot store with a ceremonial ribbon cutting.  

Back at the Rotunda, Hekemian & Co., the shopping center’s owner, will try to find a new tenant to fill the space being vacated by Giant.  Chris Bell, senior vice president for Hekemian, has announced that they would resume plans to renovate the shopping center.  

Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke has said that it is a priority for her to help find a grocery store to take the Giant’s place at the Rotunda. However, that quest may be complicated by the limitations placed on any grocery store that would come to the Rotunda.

As part of an agreement to allow Giant out of their lease at the Rotunda, Hekemian has agreed that any grocer to move into the shopping center will be limited to 20,000 square feet of space.  

That hasn’t stopped residents from advocating for specialty groceries store—in particular —to fill the vacancy at the Rotunda.

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