LEWISBURG, Pa. — While businesses all over the state are shutting down, grocery stores like Weis Markets will stay open. Employees want people to know the stores are clean, and it's safe to shop.
Almost every employee was cleaning at the Weis Markets store near Lewisburg. The supermarket chain has new cleaning protocols since the coronavirus outbreak. High-touch areas like door handles come first.
"Wherever a consumer might be handling, any food products or doors and registers, it's as clean and sanitized as we can get," said Weis Markets vice president of marketing Ron Bonacci.
Employees have an hour-by-hour rotation for cleaning the stores, and extra staff members were called in.
"Working extra-long hours, they are starting early and finishing late to keep our stores stocked. We are trying to run as many cashier lanes as possible. We are cleaning constantly," said Weis Markets official Dennis Curtin.
With Gov. Wolf implementing a statewide shutdown on all non-essential business, Weis Markets and other grocery stores will stay open.
"Our plan is to be there for the needs of the consumers making sure we have enough products on the shelves, and we will continue to open," Bonacci said.
While the stores are staying open, Weis Markets is shutting down the cafés and salad bars for the time being.
The supermarket chain is dealing with shortages on supplies like toilet paper and certain antibacterial products. Weis Markets spokesperson Dennis Curtin Says this is happening everywhere, and Weis is getting extra deliveries right now.
"We are sending as many shipments as we can to our stores. Our distribution center, which is a couple of miles away in Milton, PA, is sending out a record number of shipments."
Weis Markets will be closing its stores two hours early, starting Tuesday to sanitize and restock its stores. Stores will be closing at 9 p.m.