Save Mart Cos. offers dedicated shopping hours for first responders at all stores

The Save Mart Cos. is dedicating special shopping hours for first responders at Save Mart, FoodMaxx and Lucky stores throughout California and northern Nevada as a way to assist and thank them for their service during the coronavirus health crisis. Dedicated shopping hours began on Thursday, April 2.

First responders, defined as law enforcement, fire and medical personnel, will have the opportunity to shop all of Save Mart’s 205 stores one hour before and one hour after posted store hours every day for the time being. First responders will need to provide proof of credentials to access dedicated shopping. 

“We want to give thanks to the dedicated, hardworking first responders throughout all our communities working the front lines during these extraordinary times,” said Hal Levitt, senior vice president of retail operations for the Modesto, Calif.-based grocery chain. “Medical, law and fire personnel are putting their lives on the line during this pandemic and we want to thank them and make their lives a little easier by extending these special dedicated shopping hours to them.”

First responders will have the opportunity to shop all of Save Mart’s 205 stores one hour before and one hour after posted store hours.

Levitt said the idea to offer special shopping hours for first responders came from conversations with local and regional police, sheriff, and fire officials as well as local hospitals and healthcare providers who said their ranks are in need of additional shopping opportunities because of the impact of the pandemic on their work schedules.

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Last week, the company also announced dedicated special shopping hours for seniors and vulnerable populations every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 a.m.-9 a.m. at all Save Mart, FoodMaxx and Lucky stores as well as extended all Lucky and Save Mart pharmacy hours from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. throughout California and Northern Nevada.

Save Mart announced in mid-March that it was looking to hire up to 1,000 new in-store positions, drivers, and warehouse team members in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to the union wages and benefits offered under the company’s contracts with UCFW and Teamsters locals in the region, the company has added temporary weekly bonuses of between $2.50 and $3.50 per hour worked that will be in effect during the COVID-19 crisis. For existing team members, the bonus pay is retroactive to the week of March 8.

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