Park View in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Modern Shopper
Lift Every Voice
— Georgia Ave./Pleasant Plains Heritage Trail —
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
1. The Modern Shopper Marker
Inscription.
The Modern Shopper. Lift Every Voice. , Braving a blizzard in February 1936, eager customers lined up to experience a modern, self-service, cash-only supermarket. Nehemiah Cohen and Samuel Lehrman’s Giant Food here on Georgia Avenue was the chain’s first. Although the Memphis-born Piggly Wiggly chain pioneered the supermarket concept, it took Giant to capture DC consumers. , Giant moved into the former Park View Market, which had opened in 1923 with 180 tiled stalls. Before the supermarket, food shopping meant stopping at stand-alone bakeries, butcher shops, and other specialty stores, or at stalls inside a market shed. In all cases, shopkeepers filled the orders. Although mom-and-pop stores offered customers credit between paydays and delivered, Giant’s efficiency and lower prices nearly made small specialty stores obsolete. , After the arrival of supermarkets, small corner groceries continued to serve neighborhoods. Many were owned by Jewish families who belonged to the city-wide buying cooperative District Grocery Stores (DGS for short). In the 1930s, three Jewish groceries operated on the 3300 block of Georgia, and at least 15 along the route of this trail. , The ornate police substation at 750 Park Road (to your left) opened in 1901 as the 10th Precinct headquarters, serving 15 square miles of “suburbs” stretching north from Florida Avenue to the District line, and between Benning Road and Rock Creek. , On your way to Sign 19, notice 3641 Georgia Avenue, formerly the York movie theater. The York was built by theater mogul Harry Crandall, who also built the Tivoli (14th Street and Park Road) and Lincoln (U Street) movie palaces.
Braving a blizzard in February 1936, eager customers lined up to experience a modern, self-service, cash-only supermarket. Nehemiah Cohen and Samuel Lehrman’s Giant Food here on Georgia Avenue was the chain’s first. Although the Memphis-born Piggly Wiggly chain pioneered the supermarket concept, it took Giant to capture DC consumers.
Giant moved into the former Park View Market, which had opened in 1923 with 180 tiled stalls. Before the supermarket, food shopping meant stopping at stand-alone bakeries, butcher shops, and other specialty stores, or at stalls inside a market shed. In all cases, shopkeepers filled the orders. Although mom-and-pop stores offered customers credit between paydays and delivered, Giant’s efficiency and lower prices nearly made small specialty stores obsolete.
After the arrival of supermarkets, small corner groceries continued to serve neighborhoods. Many were owned by Jewish families who belonged to the city-wide
buying cooperative District Grocery Stores (DGS for short). In the 1930s, three Jewish groceries operated on the 3300 block of Georgia, and at least 15 along
the route of this trail.
The ornate police substation at 750 Park Road (to your left) opened in 1901 as the 10th Precinct headquarters, serving 15 square miles of “suburbs” stretching
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north from Florida Avenue to the District line, and between Benning Road and Rock Creek.
On your way to Sign 19, notice 3641 Georgia Avenue, formerly the York movie theater. The York was built by theater mogul Harry Crandall, who also built the
Tivoli (14th Street and Park Road) and Lincoln (U Street) movie palaces.
Erected by Cultural Tourism DC. (Marker Number 18.)
Location. 38° 55.989′ N, 77° 1.438′ W. Marker is in Northwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in Park View. Marker is at the intersection of Georgia Avenue Northwest (U.S. 29) and Park Road Northwest, on the right when traveling south on Georgia Avenue Northwest. Marker is in front of the Bank of America at 3500 Georgia Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3502 Georgia Avenue Northwest, Washington DC 20010, United States of America. Touch for directions.
The grandly named first Giant Food Shopping Center, 1936
Close-up of photo on marker
Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
6. Giant Food Cashiers
Close-up of photo on marker Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
7. Joseph and Lena Shankman
Joseph and Lena Shankman, (seen with an employee inside their Economy Meat Market, 2827 Georgia, in 1922) were members of the District Grocery Stores buying cooperative.
Close-up of photo on marker Gift of Ruth Compart, Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
8. Celia and Nathan Weinreb
Celia and Nathan Weinreb in their 438 V St. store, next to the old Griffith Stadium.
Close-up of photo on marker Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
9. 10th Precinct Officers, 1930
Officers of the 10th Precinct posed for the camera across the street from the station house around 1930
Close-up of photo on marker
Collection of Hiram Brewton
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
10. The 10th Precinct Station, 1940s
Close-up of photo on marker The Washington Post
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
11. Fred, Nathan and Mildred Deckelbaum
Fred Deckelbaum and his son Nathan and daughter Mildred pose inside Deckelbaum’s Meat Market at 786 Harvard St. (at Sherman), around 1940.
Close-up of photo on reverse of marker Collection of Nathan Deckelbaum
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
12. Map --You Are Here
Close-up of map on marker
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
13. Giant Liquor
The name commemorates the Giant Food store that occupied this spot 77 years ago.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
14. 10th Precinct Station
This ornate building is now the 4th District substation.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, May 25, 2013
15. 10th Precinct Station
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 26, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 726 times since then and 41 times this year. Last updated on March 7, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos:1. submitted on May 26, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 2. submitted on December 2, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. submitted on May 26, 2013, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.