MAUMEE, Ohio -- Seaway Food Town began renting Spanish-language videos in four of its stores at the beginning of this month, said Sharon Stagner, merchandising coordinator.
The 4-foot sections have about 75 titles. The selection includes mostly movies made in Spain and Mexico, but also some other new titles, such as "Like Water for Chocolate," Stagner said.
"We had some requests in a couple of locations. Then we did some demographic studies and found the four stores that could probably use the Spanish titles." The retailer is hoping for "broader customer appeal and incremental sales," she noted.
The sections have banners saying, in Spanish, "We rent Spanish titles," said Stagner, and shelf talkers and cashiers wear buttons promoting the tapes. Seaway Food Town obtained the tapes from video distributor Baker & Taylor, Morton Grove, Ill.
The retailer's northwest Ohio marketing area is like many other metropolitan areas; many migrant workers have made their homes there, Stagner said. "So there are pockets that have high percentages of Spanish-speaking people," she said.
