Giant Adds 15 Jobs to Hyattsville Store

Renovation at brought 15 new jobs to Hyattsville even as the country continues to plod through a devastating unemployment bog.

Most of the new employees are from Hyattsville and are working in the seafood and meat departments, and at the front-end in customer service, according to Giant. There are a total of 160 employees at the Hyattsville store.

Data from SimplyHired.com, an online jobs database, indicate that Hyattsville’s unemployment rate is 5.8 percent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics website states that the national unemployment rate was 9 percent in October. For Maryland, that rate—most recent data is from September—is 7.4 percent. In Prince George’s County, the unemployment rate as of September was 7.3 percent, the BLS indicates.

Through “Project Refresh,” Giant’s investment plan, the Hyattsville store underwent extensive renovation, with expansion and changes to the produce department and the addition of a new in-store branch of PNC Bank. The floral department also was moved to the front of the store.

Other changes to this store include:

• A greater selection of natural and organic items now located in a dedicated section;

• Triple the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in the expanded produce section;

• A redesigned service deli, now featuring an expanded hot food bar, more prepared food and a variety of specialty cheeses and soups;

• The full-service seafood department now offers more variety of fresh and frozen products;

• There now are more general items, including double the number of Hallmark cards; and

• Complimentary cart-to-car service.