Giant Eagle is hoping customers will put gasoline on their shopping lists, along with, milk, bread and eggs.

Monday, the Pittsburgh-based company got Hermitage Zoning Hearing Board approval for a special exception to build a GetGo gas station and convenience store on the site of the restaurant building in front of Hermitage Towne Plaza, which has been a Shoney's and an Antone's in its most recent incarnations.

Giant Eagle has a grocery store in the plaza.

Gas stations are permitted in central commercial zoning districts as long as they meet certain requirements.

Having a gas station on the site of one of its grocery stores creates a "marketing synergy" between the two businesses, said Pasquale "Pat" Avolio, director of development for Giant Eagle's corporate office.

It's an idea that is growing nationally and locally.

Michael Magnotto received permission from the zoning board last month to build a gas station on the grounds of his Shop N' Save grocery store, not far from where GetGo will be built. Construction is proceeding briskly.

And Kevin Fallon of Cedarwood Development Inc., Akron, said a gas station could be built in front of the proposed Hermitage Crossing shopping plaza on North Hermitage Road, which would be anchored by a Wal-Mart Supercenter. The Wal-Mart would have a full grocery store along with department store goods.

John Frerick of Duncan Oil Co., Beaver Creek, Ohio, which is building Magnotto's A&M Fuel Center and will provide the fuel, said he expects most customers to be coming from or going to Shop 'N Save.

Giant Eagle has a similar expectation. Avolio said the grocery store chain has gas stations by 30 stores -- and is looking to add them anywhere it has grocery stores -- and surveys have shown that 40 percent of customers at the gas station are already Giant Eagle customers.

Another 44 percent of gas customers have been people on the road for other reasons, and 16 percent are people just coming for gas, he said.

Avolio said he expects people shopping at other Hermitage Towne Plaza stores will be an important segment of GetGo customers.

The station will have six pumps that can serve two vehicles each, a kerosene dispenser and a 1,836-square-foot convenience store. The proposal now goes through the typical city development process.

Although Giant Eagle is open 24 hours, GetGo is not likely to be open all hours, at least initially, Avolio said. Typical GetGo hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.