Giant Open Air

Giant Open Air Market

Company type	Public (after 1985)
Industry	Retail (Supermarket)
Founded	1939
Founder	Wendall P. Rosso and Vincent J. Mastracco, Sr.
Defunct	1986
Fate	Merged with Farm Fresh
Headquarters	Norfolk , United States
Area served	Hampton Roads, Virginia
Products	Groceries, international foods, bakery goods, floral products

Giant Open Air Market was a supermarket chain headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. Its signature locations operated around the clock and featured entrances highlighted by a towering arch exceeding 30 feet in height, securely set in concrete.

At its peak, the chain expanded to encompass 26 full-service grocery outlets along with 43 "Tinee Giant" convenience stores. Renowned for their extensive product range, these stores gained national attention for their international food selections. Giant Open Air Market offered unique items such as chocolate-covered ants from Japan, pickled eel, authentic English teas, an assortment of Greek and French cheeses, Russian caviar, and various Latin American specialties. The phrase "Finest Foods of the World" was prominently displayed above the main entrance, emphasizing their global assortment.

1939-1952

The inaugural store opened in 1939 at the base of the Campostella Bridge within Norfolk’s Berkley district. This market was operated by partners Wendall P. Rosso and Vincent J. Mastracco, Sr. A new store was subsequently constructed on this location in 1952.

Expansion and acquisition

The company’s flagship location debuted in 1963 in Norfolk’s Ward's Corner area. This expansive Giant Open Air Market spanned over 150,000 square feet and incorporated a sizable restaurant. Upstairs banquet facilities could accommodate up to a thousand guests and featured a balcony with a decorative fountain. Operating 24 hours daily except Christmas Day, the main entrance utilized an "air curtain" system rather than traditional doors; air was blown downward as patrons entered while a steel grate below captured and recirculated it. Loose coins often collected in this grate were gathered annually and donated to charity. The store was also noted for elaborate decorations, including a 20-foot ice "waterfall" in the seafood section. Fresh bakery goods were produced continuously throughout the day by on-site bakeries. Additional customer conveniences included a large covered portico for protected grocery loading and a laundromat open around the clock. The floral department, known as the "House of Flowers," ranked among the top ten FTD outlets nationwide during that era. By late September 1985, after acquiring LouSmith SuperMarkets’ six stores, the company went public.

In 1986, Giant Open Air Market's portfolio of 26 grocery stores along with its 43 "Tinee Giant" convenience outlets merged with Farm Fresh, another Hampton Roads-based grocery chain, leading to the discontinuation of the Giant Open Air brand name though its iconic arch continued to appear in Farm Fresh’s logo.

In 1989, Joseph A. Vita—former CEO of Farm Fresh Inc.—entered into an agreement to purchase Farm Fresh’s chain of approximately 50 Tinee Giant convenience stores for an undisclosed sum. These stores had been acquired during Farm Fresh’s merger with Giant Open Air Markets in 1986; Vita had served as president of Giant Open Air at that time. Most Tinee Giant locations were situated on Norfolk’s south side, with around two dozen on the Peninsula. This sale was part of a leveraged buyout deal with Citicorp Venture Capital Ltd., finalized in September 1989. The Tinee Giant convenience stores continue to operate several locations across Hampton Roads. In 1999, wholesaler Supervalu acquired the company.

External links

• Official Supervalu/Farm Fresh website