SHOP 'N SAVE WILL CLOSE CAPE STORE

More than 70 jobs will be affected with the closure of Shop 'n Save, a 60,000-square-foot grocery market in Cape Girardeau.

Shop 'n Save Warehouse Foods Inc. announced this week that the company will try to transfer some workers to other stores.

This, however, would require a move for employees. The bulk of Shop 'n Save stores are in the St. Louis metropolitan areas in Missouri and Illinois.

Mike Recker, manager of the Cape Girardeau store for the past two years, received word about the closing Monday. He is one of the employees who will be looking into a transfer.

A few other employees have indicated they are receptive to discussions about remaining with the company.

The company announced Tuesday that a severance package will be developed for other employees who are affected by the store's closing.

Although an exact date has not been established for closing, the supermarket will close within a couple of weeks, following the liquidation of inventory.

A spokesman for the company, headquartered in St. Louis, said that in the five years of operation the store was never able to meet its financial goals in Cape Girardeau.

"We appreciate the patronage and loyalty of our customers and employees," said the spokesman. "Unfortunately, economics have led to the decision to close."

It was after considerable analysis and consideration that Shop 'n Save officials reached a decision to close, said a corporate spokesperson.

Shop 'n Save here became the 27th store in the group of markets when it opened at 254 S. Silver Springs Road in October 1991. It was the first store in the chain outside a metropolitan area.

At one time as many as 150 full- and part-time employees worked in the local store.

When the store opened, it was with a "self-bagging" program. This was discontinued last year because of customer complaints. Bagging services were added in October.

The store will remain open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until it closes. The video department has been closed. The company said all stock will be sold before the store closes.

Shop 'n Save Warehouse Foods is a division of SUPERVALU Co., one of the nation's largest wholesale food distributors, providing groceries and general merchandise to 4,650 customers in 47 states.