Shoppers lined up around the side of Costco in Hazlet. Grocery stores limited the number of shoppers to respect social distancing guidelines, and some imposed limits on how much shoppers could purchase of in-demand items. Photo by Fred Yah / Eagle Drone Solutions
By Mia Glass
Many grocery stores have recently implemented “senior hours” and special services to respond to the needs of their older shoppers and the immunocompromised. Here is a list:
Acme of Little Silver, Fair Haven
This supermarket is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The first two hours, 7 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday are set aside for those 60 and older and other at-risk members of the community.
Dean’s Natural Market, Shrewsbury
Although Dean’s is not offering senior hours, it is doing curb- side pickup and Instacart for anyone who does not want to go inside the store. Orders can be placed by phone or online and an employee (with gloves) will bring the package to the curb.
Foodtown of Atlantic Highlands and Middletown
Foodtown is not currently allocating time slots for seniors, but is offering curbside pickup for a fee of $4.99. They have reduced store hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Sickles Market of Little Silver
Sickles is not offering senior hours, but is operating on shorter hours (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) in order to maximize cleaning. The store is also doing deliveries and curbside pickups. Deliveries for Little Silver, Fair Haven, Rumson and Red Bank will be free until March 31.
Stop & Shop of Keyport and Middletown
Shoppers 60 and older and immunocompromised shoppers are allowed to enter the store an hour and a half early, 6 to 7:30 a.m. daily. The rest of the day, 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., will be for any shoppers.
Target of Middletown
Every Wednesday, the first hour of shopping, 8 to 9 a.m., will be for the elderly and other vulnerable shoppers. The store is keeping its usual hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Trader Joe’s of Shrewsbury
The first hour, 9 to 10 a.m., is set aside for senior shoppers. Store hours are have been shortened from the usual 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Walgreens of Little Silver and Red Bank
Eight to 9 a.m. every Tuesday will be reserved for cus- tomers age 55 and older. The store operates from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Whole Foods of Middletown
Whole Foods stores across the nation are allowing those age 60 and older to enter the store an hour earlier than its usual start time every day. For the Middletown location, seniors may start shopping at 8 a.m. daily.
The article originally appeared in the March 26- April 1, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
