Oct. 23--SEABROOK -- At least one regional corporation isn't running scared over credit woes and the slow economy.

New England grocer DeMoulas Supermarket, Inc. will bring plans before the Planning Board this winter for an expansion of one of its two shopping centers in Seabrook, with the promise of renovation and expansion of its other Seabrook plaza in the works. Both Route 1 shopping centers are anchored by Market Basket supermarkets, and plans are to keep both grocery outlets open, according to company officials.

Michael Kettenbach, from RMD, the real estate arm of the DeMoulas family businesses, told Seabrook's Planning Board members informally on Tuesday the company hopes to add between 25,000 and 30,000 square feet of retail space to the current 123,000-square-foot Southgate Plaza, which houses a 59,000-square-foot Market Basket supermarket. Southgate Plaza shopping center also includes TJ Maxx, Dots, Fashion Bug, Blockbuster Video, Sal's Pizza, Radio Shack and the UPS Store.

According to James Lamp, the civil engineer working on the project, the additional space will come in the form of "end caps," or more retail space attached to both ends of the shopping center, as well as the construction of a pharmacy with drive-through on a site of the former Honey Bee Restaurant located beside Southgate.

Although not firm enough to discuss in specifics now, Kettenbach said, the company is in the midst of developing plans for improvements to Seabrook Plaza, located further north along Route 1. The 109,000-square-foot plaza hosts a smaller, older 41,000-square-foot Market Basket supermarket, along with a New Hampshire State Liquor Store and Prime Gas station. Formerly, Ames Department Store was the other large retail outlet at Seabrook Plaza, but after its closing several years ago, the space was never redeveloped.

Kettenbach told the Planning Board that company officials are still deciding if they'll expand the smaller Market Basket in Seabrook Plaza or build an entirely new store.

"We're speaking to all tenants to determine the mix," Kettenbach said. "We have ideas, but not solidified enough to bring them forward to the board even preliminarily."

After the meeting, Kettenbach said the country's current economic difficulties aren't causing the company to halt its plans. The two Seabrook supermarkets are thriving, he said, both catering to different segments of those who shop in Seabrook for their food.

"We feel under the current conditions we need to expand services for our customer base," Kettenbach said.