Restonian actually leaves the house: The scene at the Tall Oaks Giant

The writing's on the wall at the Tall Oaks Giant -- literally. When we visited yesterday to do a little something those crazy, old-media newspaper dinosaurs like to call "reporting," a faxed press release explaining the closure had been hastily taped to the front door. Turns out the store is closing because of declining sales over the past few years.

The press release hasn't been posted on Giant's corporate site, which is a pity, because it's a masterful example of tone-deaf PR, full of phrases like "refocusing" and "modernization." In fact, it even invites Tall Oaks customers to see what the exciting new remodeled Giant stores they won't be getting in Reston will look like by visiting one... in Clifton. Or Silver Spring, maybe. Which our grandchildren will be able to do in a jiffy once the Silver Line's built.

It's almost as if they're deliberately trying to shatter what little brand loyalty their customers might have. As a commenter pointed out earlier in the week, they're not even transferring prescriptions to another nearby Giant, but to their archrival Safeway's store in South Lakes.

What's next? Will they replace Super G cola with Dr. Thunder? The mind boggles.