Food Basics Coming to Detroit

PATERSON, N.J. -- The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. tomorrow will open 10 every-day-low-price Food Basics grocery stores throughout the metropolitan Detroit area, giving away a $70 store gift certificate every hour at all 10 locations, starting at 8:00 a.m., when the stores open to the public. At Food Basics $70 buys the same amount of groceries that $100 buys at a conventional supermarket. The grand opening giveaway will be repeated April 3, and entry forms are available at every store.

The first 40 customers at each store tomorrow will be eligible to buy a 20-inch Apex color TV for just $40, and the next 100 customers can purchase a Coby DVD player for only $15. Other first-come, first-served "crazy deals" will be available every day through April 3 starting at 8:00 a.m. at all 10 Food Basics stores.

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick will visit the Food Basics store at 8000 West Outer Drive at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday to cut the grand opening ribbon marking the arrival of Food Basics in Metro Detroit. Members of Food Basics' management team will join Mayor Kilpatrick, along with Patrick Fehring, president of Fifth Third Bank in Eastern Michigan, who will commemorate the opening of the Fifth Third branch in the West Outer Drive store. Additionally, 10 Major Savings mascots representing each Food Basics store will arrive by caravan at the West Outer Drive store to participate in the ribbon cutting and later will return to their own stores to greet shoppers and celebrate the grand opening.

Food Basics sells a variety of fresh, high-quality produce, meat, and poultry, and national brand groceries, as well as seafood and baked goods -- all at everyday savings of up to 30 percent or more, without membership fees, multipack purchases, or frequent shopper cards.

In the Food Basics dollar store section, shoppers save on everyday items like giftware, hair care products, dinnerware, baby products, and household supplies. One-time super value closeout items like home goods, electronics, and seasonal items are also available at low prices.

"Food Basics brings a whole new concept in food shopping to Metro Detroit," said Earl Weissert, President of Food Basics USA. "We have low prices everyday because we skip the costly frills and extra services of conventional supermarkets and focus on the fresh products and name-brand items shoppers buy most often."

Food Basics stores are clean and bright with a familiar supermarket layout. Costs are kept low by skipping fancy decor and special displays, and fresh meat, poultry, deli items and baked goods are pre-cut and packaged to avoid the added expense of in-store handling and processing. Customers help keep costs down by packing their own groceries in bags they bring or purchase at the store.

In-store banking at Food Basics will be provided by Fifth Third Bank at the West Outer Drive store and by Best Bank at all other locations except Rosa Parks Blvd. Pharmacies will be available at the West Outer Drive and Telegraph Road stores in Detroit, and also at the Hamtramck, Melvindale, and Sterling Heights locations.

Open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Food Basics accepts major credit cards, debit cards and other electronic fund transfer cards. Manufacturers' coupons are also honored, and Food Basics participates in the WIC program.