As the state and the nation deals with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and people are concerned about our food supply, the supply chain has been strengthened. The good news is that the trucks are continuing to arrive with more product. The bad news is that product is flying off the shelves as fast as groceries can restock.
Many grocers throughout Chaffee County have ordered additional quantities to try and keep up with demand and are offering dedicated hours for Senior Citizens (Seniors) and ‘At Risk’ individuals to shop. Many groceries and pharmacies have also recently changed their hours to allow for sufficient time for cleaning and restocking.
With good supplies coming in to the county, stores report that people appear to be hording, which is creating shortages. Signs posted in stores and at store entry points ask people to please be mindful to only buy what they need — to try to leave stock for others.
Below is a breakdown of groceries and pharmacies current hours, Seniors and ‘At Risk’ individuals shopping hours and if they have limits on products.
Safeway, Salida
Hours: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Sunday
Dedicated shopping hours for Seniors and At Risk individuals: 7 a.m. – 9 a.m., Tuesdays & Thursdays
Limits on certain products when in stock, such as toilet paper, paper towels, etc..
Walmart, Salida
Hours: 7 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. Monday – Sunday starting today, March 19, 2020
Dedicated Shopping Hours for Seniors: 6 a.m. – 7 a.m., Tuesdays
Limits on certain products when in stock, such as toilet paper, paper towels, etc..
LaGrees, Poncha Springs:
Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Sunday (for the grocery side only)
Dedicated shopping hours for Seniors, At Risk individuals* or those individuals shopping for Seniors or At Risk Individuals: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. daily
Limits on certain products when in stock, such as toilet paper, paper towels, etc..
City Market, Buena Vista
Hours: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Sunday
Dedicated shopping hours for Seniors: 6 a.m.- 7 a.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Limits on certain products when in stock such as, eggs, milk, bread, toilet paper, paper towels, etc.
Groceries without dedicated shopping hours for Seniors or ‘At Risk’ individuals*:
Natural Grocers. Salida
Bulk foods shelves at Natural Grocers and community plea to save some for others Photo – Merrell Bergin
Hours: 8:30am – 7:30pm Monday – Saturday; 9 a.m. -7:30 p.m. Sunday
No dedicated shopping times for Seniors and At Risk individuals*, however it was suggested that they come early in the morning, their least busy time.
No required limits on certain products when in stock but there are notices in the store, strongly suggesting that people limit their purchase of certain items
Dollar Tree, Salida
Hours: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Saturday; 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday
Ark Valley Voice has reached out to Dollar Tree regarding dedicated shopping hours for Seniors and limits on products but has not received a response at the time of this writing of this article.
Simple Foods, Salida
Simple Foods has made the difficult decision to close their doors. They reiterated that this was not due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that the decision was made over 10 days ago.
Their last open day will be tomorrow, Friday, March 20. They will be open from noon – 6 p.m. and all product in the store will be 40% off.
The Lettucehead Food Company, Buena Vista
Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday
No dedicated shopping times for Seniors and no limits on products when in stock
Family Dollar, Buena Vista
Hours: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Sunday
No dedicated shopping times for Seniors and no limits on products when in stock
*At Risk individuals include pregnant women and individuals with compromised immune systems
Some Pharmacies have also changed their hours and their practices to accommodate ‘social distancing’:
Salida Pharmacy and Fountain, Salida
Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Saturday
Customers have three ways to pick-up their prescriptions. They can pick up their prescriptions in person, park out back and an employee can bring out their prescription to their car or they can have their prescriptions delivered to their homes for a small fee (i.e $1 fee for delivery within a certain radius) Fountain drinks and ice cream are also available for pickup or delivery.
Buena Vista Drug, Buena Vista:
Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. – 1 p.m, Saturday (Pharmacy); 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. (store)
Buena Vista Drug is asking customers to distance themselves from each other and have three ways to pick up prescriptions and over-the-counter items. Customers can pick up their prescriptions in person, have the pharmacy deliver to your home for a small fee ($1 for up to 3 miles) or use the drive–thru to pick up prescriptions. Customers can also call ahead and ask an employee to shop for over-the-counter items for them and delivery them via the drive-thru.
Walmart Pharmacy, Salida
Hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday
No change to in store purchasing
Safeway pharmacy, Salida
Hours: 8 a.m. -8 p.m. Monday – Friday; 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday
No change to in store purchasing
HRRMC Pharmacy, Salida
Hours: 9:30am – 5:30pm Monday – Friday
Customers have two ways to pick-up their prescriptions, at curbside or free delivery. They can drive to HRRMC pharmacy and walk up. There are medical screeners at the entrance of the Hospital. If your prescription is ready, the screeners will go in and get it for you. If you haven’t had it filled yet, the screener will take your prescription into the pharmacy to have it filled. You will need to wait in your car. They will then bring it out to your car. The other option is to call HRRMC pharmacy at 719-539-2430 option 0 and ask for the delivery option.
City Market Pharmacy, Salida
Hours: 9am- 6pm Monday – Friday; 9am-8pm Saturday; 10-5pm Sunday
Customers can walk-in to get their prescriptions filled
just heard sense of taste may be a symptom or early indicator of infection by “19”
Begging all young people to stay home way to many out and about “Gathering”. You endanger everyone! Please learn to be alone and to still your restless minds. Get a shelter animal for company and learn to care for it, bond with it, and feel the love!
Remember all you drug abusers will be so easy for law enforcement to spot when nobody with brains are out and about except for emergency needs and food!
Good work Jan and team. Thank you very much.
Over the phone, City market said their senior hours are 7-8 not 6-7.
The Ark Valley Voice called City Market this morning and was informed that the information was correct at the time it was given to our journalist, however, after this discussion, The City Market made the decision to change it a new time,7am – 8am Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
That is GREAT!!
Thank you City Market!!!
I know many will be ever so grateful 👍
I think that is absolutely GREAT that the stores are offering “senior shopping” hours!!!!
Although, I do contemplate the hours are somewhat unrealistic IE: 6am-7am. Most Seniors are not even awake at that time. That or they may have arthritis, or some other underlying medical condition, and they just can’t seem to get up and moving around at that hour.
Some of them may be very fortunate, and have other family members that can go out and about and shop for them, but please realize that some may not be that fortunate.
I implore the stores to possibly revisit those shopping hours for the Seniors.
Love your articles and trying to keep the public informed. Do you foresee this affecting tourists coming to your county this summer either to the RV parks, hotels, etc. Is your county trying to keep tourists out to possibly keep the spread down? Also to keep supplies up for the locals.
Thank you.
Thank you for your supportive comments. It is too soon to tell what the impact on summer tourism to our beautiful valley might be. At this point, the public health order includes a directive for tourist to go home, and not to come to the valley during this pandemic. The goal is to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 virus. While the supply chain delivering goods to the valley is flowing, the tendency of people to buy more than normal during emergencies means that there are temporary shortages of things. Stores are trying to ration some things such as cleaning supplies and disinfectants, paper towels and toilet paper.
It is very important right now for we everyday Americans to exhibit personal leadership — to follow the public health orders, to practice social distancing, to take only what we need in stores and leave some for the next person, to remember that if we fail to exhibit kindness and patience with others during this time of great need, then we will gradually cease to be that which makes us human.
As a free-to-the-public digital news medium with journalists dedicated to facts and truth, we appreciate readers’ support.
We are all in this together – #Chaffeestrong.