Hollywood is coming to local Iowa grocer

Iowa grocer to welcome Jason Momoa

Aquaman is coming to an Iowa grocery store on Monday. It’s not every day that an independent family-owned grocery store will soon greet a superhero, but let me assure you, that it is indeed Jason Momoa THAT famous superstar actor. The Iowa-born actor will visit the Norwalk Fareway grocery store, which also happens to be in his hometown, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to promote Meili Vodka, a brand he co-founded.

“From the moment we decided to embark on the Meili bottle tour, Jason had been talking about stopping in Iowa to visit his local town,” said Kevin Cooke, COO at Meili Vodka. “Seeing as Iowa was a big part of Jason’s childhood, we’re thrilled to be able to share his new venture with local residents.”

Photo courtesy: Stew Leonard's.

Animal sighting at Stew Leonard’s

Aquaman, a duck and a cow walk into a grocery store. That sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s just The Local Checkout reporting what is happening at independent grocery stores. As for the duck and the cow, those friendly fellows were on hand on Wednesday for East Coast family-owned grocery retailer Stew Leonard’s groundbreaking ceremony for its new store in Clifton, New Jersey, which is slated to open next summer.

Dubbed the “Disneyland of Dairy Stores” by the New York Times for its costumed characters, scheduled entertainment and animatronics throughout the store, the playful grocery chain continues to prove grocery shopping can be fun.

Dorothy Lane Market is growing

Locally owned and operated Dorothy Lane Market (DLM) announced on its Facebook page recently that the retailer has “finalized our DLM Mason store design plan down to the details.”

The Ohio-based retailer last year announced plans to open its first greater Cincinnati grocery store in the City of Mason as part of a new $150 million-plus mixed-use planned community, according to a company press release. The site is located at the corner of Mason-Montgomery and Western Row Roads—formerly the Western Row Golf Course.

The Local Checkout will be keeping an eye out for the groundbreaking ceremony.

Exciting times in Ohio for independent grocers!

Ultimate hygee

Family owned and operated since 1926, Nugget Market, Inc., which ranked No. 14 on Fortune's Best Workplaces in Retail for 2023, released its latest Field Guide issue. And, well, let’s just say this latest holiday edition is the ultimate hygee hug. Issues of Field Guide are available in stores but for those not residing near any of the retailer’s 16 locations serving northern California, no problem. You can find it online here.

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