STORE OFFERS SHUTTLE TO FOOD BUYERS

A new outreach program being implemented today by Schnucks Market of Cape Girardeau makes grocery shopping easier for senior citizens in midtown.

Schnucks Shuttle will make its first run this morning, from the former Schnucks Midtown Store to Schnucks Food & Drugs, 19 S. Kingshighway.

"A lot of people have expressed concern about senior citizens in the midtown area who have no transportation and no place to buy their groceries," said Dennis Marchi, Schnucks manager. "We want to help them."

Schnucks Shuttle will operate three times a week -- starting at 10 a.m. today and continuing each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

"We have arranged with Kelley Transportation Co. for the shuttle service," said Marchi.

The shuttle will pick up passengers in front of the old Schnucks Midtown store, dropping them off at the South Kingshighway store.

"The shuttle will return to pick up passengers at Schnucks at 11 a.m., returning them to the midtown store," said Marchi.

Schnucks Markets Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, closed Schnucks Cape Midtown grocery store July 26, leaving that area without a full-service grocery market for the first time in several decades.

A supermarket had operated at the 121 S. Sprigg site since 1959, when National Food Market opened a 12,600-square foot grocery store there.20That supermarket was expanded to 22,000 square feet in 1969, and 33,000 square feet in 1978. Schnucks purchased the store in 1995, when it bought the Del-Farm National chain.

Schnucks announced plans to close the store July 7, citing a continued drop in sales for the closing.