Supermarkets announce special hours for seniors and disabled due to coronavirus
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – Vallarta Supermarkets Tuesday became the latest chain to announce that it will open its stores — including its two San Diego County locations in Escondido and National City — an hour early to accommodate seniors 65 and older, pregnant women and those with disabilities as a way to assist customers amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Effective Wednesday, the Sylmar-based company’s 50 locations in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, San Bernardino, Kern, Santa Barbara, Tulare and Fresno counties will open to serve those customers at 7 a.m. before opening to the rest of the public at 8 a.m.
“These special hours, along with our efforts to improve checkout times, restock shelves and assist with customer service, are some of the changes we’re making in an effort to meet the high demand during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Andrew Lewis, Vallart’s vice president of marketing.
Barons Market also announced they are opening their doors a bit earlier to give seniors and people with disabilities their own time to pace the aisles and shop for essentials. Seniors 65 and older and people with disabilities will have the store to themselves from 9 to 9:30 a.m.
On Monday, the Northgate Gonzales Market chain began opening all of its 41 Southern California locations one hour early each day — also at 7 a.m. – – for senior citizens and disabled customers. The Anaheim-based chain has 19 stores in Los Angeles County, 13 in Orange County, eight in San Diego County and one in Riverside County.
Despite these improvements, senior citizens (65 years and older) are being advised by California’s governor to stay home, leaving many concerned about how seniors will get enough food, medicine and other supplies.
Joe Gavin, Chief Program and Community Engagement Officer of the San Diego Senior Community Foundation, was in studio to discuss how they are helping.
