Groceries, car washes, beauticians – oh my!

Supermarkets are constantly seeking new ways to extend their market share. Two US chains have come up with interesting offerings.

Wegmans Food Markets, #3 on Fortune's annual '100 Best Companies to Work For' list,  plans to have beauty experts at some of its stores. Wegman will be debuting estheticians at certain locations.

The esthetician is trained to give facials and offer shoppers advice on makeup and skin and hair care. The staffer will start work at the store in a new department scheduled to open in late next month.

There's no word yet from Wegmans on how many of their stores will receive an esthetician, possibly because they are waiting to see the response to their job posting.

The Kroger Co. is going a different route and is adding automatic car washes to its growing network of fuel centers. The program is a partnership with Columbus-based developer Skilken Co. The alliance was sparked when the supermarket chain had difficulty finding a partner in the car wash business. Skilken's successful 60-year track record of building stores for Kroger prompted it to step in and start its own car wash business.

Dale Hollandsworth, Kroger's Director of Integrated Communication, stated that the grocer wanted to add car washes to its fuel centers as an extra service for customers. The first Ken's Car Wash, named for Skilken president Ken Gold, opened two in the latter part of 2006. A third Ken's Car Wash is scheduled to open in August, and eight more car washes are planned for the coming months in Ohio, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle Inc. is already immersed in the car wash business via WetGo car wash stations, located adjacent to roughly 25 of its GetGo convenience and fuel centers.