Family's faith and funds feed supermarket expansion.

• Position: Wilson family; Wilson's Supermarket

When the Wilsons celebrate the opening of a new Wilson's Supermarket, they don't break out the champagne. "We all go to church and thank the Lord," says General Manager Larry Wilson, whose grandfather Boney Wilson founded the Wilmington-based business in 1919 and whose dad, Allan Wilson, is president. "We all sit in the same pew, too."

These days, they're giving a lot of thanks. They plan to open five stores this year, bringing their total to 24. New stores in Cary and Raleigh will mark the chain's first entry into a metropolitan area.

With $190 million in sales last year, Wilson's is tiny compared with the state's big boys. But market research from its warehouse service, Scrivner Co. of Oklahoma, showed that Triangle customers want what it plans to offer: 45,000-square-foot stores that include a "food court" serving ethic dishes. If that sounds like Harris Teeter's new stores, you've guessed which competitor Wilson's is aiming at.

The privately held company is financing its expansion internally, spending $3 million to $4 million a store. Does the family have the capital to compete? "I can't really talk about that," Larry replies. "I will tell you that we save our money. We put everything we make back into the business."

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