Grocery stores change hours of operations to protect at-risk shoppers during outbreak
Food Town president Mike Lewis on how his grocery store is adapting to provide for senior citizens amid the coronavirus pandemic.
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Food Town president Mike Lewis spoke to Neil Cavuto on "Your World" Tuesday to talk about the decision to adjust his small grocery chain's hours in order to give seniors and those more vulnerable to the coronavirus safe access to stores.
"Less than two weeks ago when all this started, the Thursday before, they got really busy and the whole weekend it was just a madhouse. Very chaotic, very difficult to shop in," Lewis said. "We got a text that Monday morning suggesting that we do something to help the seniors. And they suggested doing ... a senior hour. And we talked about it and it seemed to make a lot of sense."
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"They needed to come in and get their items that they needed and shop in a safe, clean, friendly environment," Lewis added. "And then go home and hopefully get enough items and be the first ones to get them [so] that they wouldn't have to get out over the next few days."
Lewis acknowledged that some people have tried to take advantage of the revised hours, but stores are trying their best to police the issue.
"We have monitors at the door and there's some times where we do have to card them if they don't look 60 years old or older," Lewis said.
The grocery chain president said the decision to help seniors out was the right call to make.
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"The first time we did it... Two weeks ago at 7:01 [a.m.], we realized that we had made the right decision. The seniors came in and they were smiling and happy. They were like kids in a candy store," Lewis said. "They were just so grateful and so thankful to all the employees. It was really a shining moment, probably the best moment in our history. And we do it every morning from 7 to 8."
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