Its Official: Ribbon Cutting for Giant at City Market at O

It was a battle to get into Giant Food this evening for the ribbon cutting ceremony, a small group of protesters, politicians looking for signatures and throngs of eager shoppers/viewers all crowded around the entrance. Once in I headed to the 7th & O Street corner and set up for the speeches....I have been waiting for this, waiting to celebrate the return of Giant to the Shaw neighborhood, and with the crowd I celebrated.
Pictorially its really the equivalent of talking heads on TV, but joy and the feeling of achievement was definitely present in the words from the speakers.
The Mayor was pretty much on-time, so any anticipated delays where quickly put to rest.

Enter The Mayor Vincent Gray (on-time).....

........followed by CM Jack Evans

The event opened with a wonderful rendition of the National Anthem

......followed by the new Giant manager George Ross, who introduced and praised the staff and management of the new store

Mayor Vincent Gray led off his speech with an upbeat state of DC (well today) and its financial standing as the #1 city in the USA

....continued by praising Giant for there hiring of 160 District residents (181 total employees)

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton continued in the same manner with praise all round

Then joked that the residents of Shaw should still visit other parts of the City.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton was followed by CM Tommy Wells

CM Jack Evans likened City Market at O to a 'Town Center' and joked with Mayor Gray that there are finally more ribbon cuttings than groundbreakings

ANC Commissioner Alex Padro, introduced as Shaw's Historian and protector, reminded the audience of the road traveled to reach this point, and tried to dispel some urban myths about the O Street Market and Shaw - actually a very good presentation

Next up Richard Lake, Partner, Roadside Development, who thanked the workers who built the complex and made whole Roadside Development' vision

Giant then donated $2500 to their new neighbor Bread for the City. Accepting the check was George E Jones, CEO of Bread for the City

Finally, the cutting of the symbolic ribbon...with all the speakers and other interested parties

Followed by the obligatory 'photo-op'

I do have to make a few comments here. Although it seems fairly commonplace now, this ribbon cutting was somewhat more important in its historical context. The re-birth of O Street Market, which was originally built in 1881, a center of the Shaw neighborhood, a gathering place besides its market function, is now standing tall again, and the residents of Shaw and DC, should be proud to know this small part of their heritage will again thrive in the city. Its fitting that Giant Food, who under the guidance of N.M. Cohen and Samuel Lehrman, founders of Giant Food Inc. and who opened Giant Food' first and also Washington, DC's first supermarket in 1936, should be the company given custodianship of the O Street Market today.

The Giant Food Store at City Market at O is OPEN FOR BUSINESS

My thanks to Giant Food and especially Jamie Miller for allowing the Badwolfdc blog such good coverage

My gratitude to Roadside Development and especially Susan Linsky.