Mannford Grocery Store Opens Early For Older Shoppers

Grocery Stores around the country are having a difficult time keeping items in stock for customers.

That’s why some green country stores decided to open an hour earlier to give elderly customers a head start.

Phelps Market employees in Mannford said they haven’t had any hand sanitizer in two weeks.

They’re also running low on hand soap and other items throughout the store, but said they wanted to give elderly customers a full hour to shop as they were restocking their shelves.

Many elderly customers were thankful for the chance to walk around without feeling rushed.

“My grandfather told me something once that I remember in times like this,” said Mike Conklin. “He told me ‘grandson, character is formers in the crucible of adversity, so this is our adversity let’s see what kind of character we have as a nation.” 

Mike Conklin said he and his wife came into Phelps Market this morning for several items, but mostly because they were running low on distilled water for their C-PAP machines.

Conklin said they’re not worried about what they don’t have, because those who came before them somehow made it through with less than we have today.

“They call my generation the greatest generation. I think the ones that pioneered and opened up the west with the adversities and things that they had,” said Conklin. “They’re the greatest generation.”

Conklin and several other shoppers over the age of 65 had a chance to go through the store to pick up some items before they opened their doors to the public.

Kenneth Brashears said he shops at Phelps twice a week and is glad his granddaughter called him to let him know they were opening early.

“she knew it and I didn’t even know it,” said Kenneth Brashears.

Phelps gets several truck loads in each week and they’re working to restock items quickly and employees said they’re doing everything they can to serve their community.

“If they need something, they can call us and they can either come by and we will meet them out there. We do deliveries. So, we do this all the time for customers,” said Castillo.

Colleen Castillo said she normally uses a lot of cleaning products on her register, but she and other staff are doing even more to make sure her most vulnerable customers are safe.

“In my heart I want to know that I’ve done everything possible for them,” said Colleen Castillo.

Dollar General's corporate office said their stores will dedicate the first hour they're open to elderly shoppers.  They said they'll also be closing an hour earlier to restock for the next morning.