Big grocery stores, with large surface parking lots and unwieldy loading docks, find a more natural home in the suburbs. But in recent years, architects have found ways to fit large stores like Whole Foods, Giant, and even Walmart into city blocks, integrating them with the urban fabric in surprising and innovative ways. These new stores also have become important parts of the urban lifestyle for many Washingtonians. We talk about the way grocery stores in urban areas have had a physical and social impact on the Washington region.