MIDTOWN TO GET NEW GROCERY IN AUGUST

Cape Girardeau's two Save-A-Lot stores will consolidate into one store in the former Del Farm National Grocery and Schnucks building, giving the city's Midtown its first grocery in almost two years.

Heartland Save-A-Lot at 19 N. Spanish and near Broadway and Kingshighway, both owned by Maevers Food Inc. of Jackson, will close when the new market opens at l21 S. Sprigg.

"We're looking at a mid-August timetable for the new location," said Jim Maevers, vice president and co-owner of Maevers Food.

The announcement came during a news conference at 121 S. Sprigg Wednesday morning.

In addition to the two Cape Girardeau Save-A-Lots, Maevers Food operates three other grocery stores: Sikeston Save-A-Lot, Jackson Save-A-Lot and Schaper's IGA at Jackson.

Maevers Food provides employment to about 150 people, with more than a third of the jobs full time.

The new operation will allow Maevers Food to use a new concept at the Save-A-Lot stores: more produce and other perishables.

The store will occupy about half of the 36,000-square-foot structure. The retail sales area will be about 12,000 square feet.

The other half of the building is expected to house another retail operation. "We hope to make an announcement on that within a month," said Thomas M. Meyer of Thomas L. Meyer Realtors, which handled the lease agreement.

The building will have a common foyer, said Maevers. Customers can enter from either side of the building for either of the two businesses.

"Everyone is excited about the move," said Maevers. "We've had great input and support from a lot of people.

"This will be a major economic impact for this area," said Tom Neumeyer, Cape Girardeau City councilman from that area.

The area has been without a grocery since July 1997, when Schnucks closed its Midtown store after purchasing the building from Del Farm two years earlier.

"This will go along with a lot things that are happening in the area," said Neumeyer. "We're looking at the river bridge, St. Mary's Cathedral's new administration building, the university's River Campus plans, a new housing development where the old St. Francis Hospital building is and the new federal building."

Until July 26, 1997, a supermarket had been in business 38 years at 121 S. Sprigg. National opened a 12,600-square-foot grocery store there in 1959. Ten years later, National expanded to 22,600 square feet. In 1977, construction started on an expanded National supermarket just north of the former building, and in 1978 a 33,000-square-foot National supermarket with 170-car parking lot opened.

In 1995, Schnucks Markets Inc. purchased the Del-Farm National chain from Loblaw Companies Ltd. of Toronto, Canada.

The Maevers family has been involved in the grocery business almost a half century. "My dad -- Lester Maevers -- was in the grocery business 47 years," said Maevers. "He started working at Schaper's IGA when he was 15. He retired when he was 62. In between he purchased Schaper's IGA.'

Tim Maevers, president and a co-owner, and Jim Maevers worked in the grocery business as youngsters. Jim Maevers rejoined the family business a dozen years ago.

Maevers Food Inc. was formed when Heartland Warehouse Foods Inc., and Schaper's Foods Inc. merged in January 1998. Lester Maevers, the previous president of both corporations, retired at that time, selling his interest to his two sons.

Tim Maevers has been involved in the family business for more than 25 years, starting as a carryout at Schaper's IGA, then moving through management jobs with all the stores. He is currently responsible for the day-to-day operation of all the Save-A-Lot stores.

Jim Maevers also started as a carryout at Schaper's IGA. Following high school, he served in the Marines for four years. He worked with Telex Corp. of Tulsa, Okla., five years before returning to the family business in 1987. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the IGA stores and the administrative duties of the family business.,

The Maevers entered the Cape Girardeau grocery market in 1989, with the Save-A-Lot stores opened.

Save-A-Lot started with three stores in 1977 and now has more than 500 stores in the United States.