Weis Markets extends store hours, restarts some services

With coronavirus-related lockdowns relaxing across Mid-Atlantic market area, Weis Markets has extended its store operating hours and availability for its Weis 2 Go online grocery service.

The Sunbury, Pa.-based regional grocer said its stores are now open an additional hour in the evening, operating from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. In Pennsylvania, the designated shopping time for seniors and those at a higher risk for COVID19 remains on Tuesdays from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., when a 10% senior discount also is offered on more than 6,000 Weis-brand items, the retailer added.

Meanwhile, the hours for Weis 2 Go Online Pickup and Delivery have been extended to between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Weis said its service delis also have been reopened, with social distancing markers and signs indicating separate order and pickup areas at the counter. The supermarket chain, too, has resumed its immunization program but with extra safety precautions. Pharmacist immunizers will continue to administer vaccines in a private area, and both customers and pharmacists will wear masks. The grocer’s pharmacists already wear rubber gloves, as per medical requirements.

Overall, Weis operates 197 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York West Virginia and Virginia.

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In mid-March, as the spread of the virus escalated nationwide, Weis had reduced its hours of operation to 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily to give associates more time to restock shelves and clean and sanitize stores. Less than a month later, the company changed store hours to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and announced modified pharmacy hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Weis noted that the extended hours are part of its efforts to upgrade and refine current COVID-19 safety practices. The retailer’s protection and social distancing measures include non-contact, infrared thermometers to take the temperature of employees before they start work (including store, distribution center, manufacturing and processing workers); requiring all associates to wear face covering and asking customers to do the same; sneeze guards at checkout and courtesy desks; shopper capacity limits; in-store physical distancing markers; and hand sanitizer stations and shopping cart wipes.

Weis said it’s also cleaning and sanitizing stores regularly during operating hours, as well as after closing and before opening; performing ourly cleaning and sanitizing of high-contact areas such as cash registers, self-scan units, card terminals, fuel pumps, shopping carts and baskets; temporarily suspending the sale of loose bakery items or pre-wrapping them; temporarily closing self-serve salad, olive and soup bars; and temporarily closing in-store café seating areas. The retailer, too. Has suspended the use of personal reusable bags and the return of used plastic bags.

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