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Supermarkets Make More Changes Following Stay-at-Home Order

Lucky's Market in Cleveland is among stores that have altered their hours and policies during the coronavirus outbreak. [Justin Glanville / ideastream]
Lucky's Market in Cleveland is among stores that have altered their hours and policies during the coronavirus outbreak

Following Gov. Mike DeWine's order for Ohioans to stay at home except for essential trips, a growing number of Northeast Ohio grocery stores have altered their hours or are offering "elderly-only" shopping windows for customers over the age of 60.

Some have also instituted customer limits or installed new technology to encourage social distancing.

Below are the latest operations policies for area supermarkets as of Monday, March 23, with links to their coronavirus-related update pages where available. Most stores offer online ordering and delivery via their websites.

Aldi: Stores are open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. No special hours for elderly customers or those with special needs.

Dave's Markets: Stores open daily at 7 a.m., with closing hours varying by location. The chain is asking "those that are healthy and able" to start shopping at 8 a.m., leaving the hour from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. for those who are "most vulnerable."

Giant Eagle: All stores are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Stores open an hour early (6 a.m. to 7 a.m.), Mondays through Wednesdays, for "older, differently-abled or immune-compromised" customers. Stores have installed plexiglass dividers in checkout and customer service areas. Floor indicators in checkout lanes indicate how far customers should stand from one another. The chain has also resumed use of single-use plastic bags, asking customers to leave reusable bags at home.

Heinen's: Stores are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The chain is asking shoppers to "provide a special window between 8 and 9 a.m. every day for seniors or those who may be immunocompromised to shop first. We ask everyone else to please consider shopping with us after 9 a.m."

Lucky's Market: The store is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The first hour of operation (7 a.m. to 8 a.m.) is reserved for "the elderly, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems."

Sav-A-Lot: Store operating hours vary by location. No special hours for elderly customers or those with special needs.

Simon's Supermarkets: Store operating hours vary by location. No special hours for elderly customers or those with special needs.

Trader Joe's: All stores are open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Stores are limiting the number of customers allowed inside at one time to about 35, with any additional customers asked to wait in line outside. Between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. daily, senior customers are given "expedited" access to the store.

Whole Foods: Northeast Ohio area stores are open to the general public 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. They are opening early (7 a.m. for the Akron and Orange stores; 7:30 a.m. for the Rocky River and University Heights stores) for customers 60 and older.

Justin Glanville is the deputy editor of engaged journalism at Ideastream Public Media.