Contact: Tim Leach or Marc Schreiber at Casey Communications, Inc., 314/962-0944, or Dee Wetzel at Schnuck Markets, Inc., 314/994-4608.

August 12, 1997

New Schnucks Super Center Opens Tuesday, Aug. 12, in Carbondale, Ill.

CARBONDALE, IL. -- Schnuck Markets, Inc. will open a new super center in Carbondale, IL, at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12. Located at 915 W. Main St. at the corner of West Main (Highway 13) and South Oakland streets, the Carbondale store is Schnucks' first venture in the Carbondale region. At 60,000 square feet, the Carbondale Schnucks is nearly two-and-a-half times the size of the National store which previously occupied the site. Schnucks bought the 25,000-square-foot store in June 1995 as part of its purchase of National Super Markets. It acquired adjacent land to create a six-acre site, demolished the vacant store and built a new supermarket to serve Carbondale citizens.

New Schnucks Benefits Carbondale and Surrounding Area

Schnucks' arrival in Carbondale creates a positive economic impact for the region's population. About 200 full-time and part-time associates -- almost all from Carbondale and neighboring communities -- will be employed at the new store.

Area residents also played a role in the store's construction. Thirteen southern Illinois firms employing local building craftspersons built the new supercenter.

"We've received a very warm welcome from the Carbondale community -- from city officials and local residents to local employment agencies, high schools and the university. We are opening our store with associates who express the friendliness that's always been part of our success in meeting the needs of our customers," said Craig D. Schnuck, chairman and chief executive officer of Schnucks. "We hope to return the warm welcome we've been given by being the kind of supermarket where our customers can find everything they need, when they need it at a good price. With our new store being built and staffed by Carbondale residents, our customers are gaining a store they can be proud to call their own."

According to Schnuck, Carbondale's inclusion of the site in its Enterprise Zone helped make the redevelopment project possible. "Carbondale Mayor Neil Dillard, City Manager Jeff Doherty, Director of Development Services Tom Redmond, and their staffs, were very helpful throughout our planning and development," Schnuck credited. "The Illinois Department of Transportation's willingness to swap land along Oakland for property along Walnut enabled us to place our new Schnucks on this site and allowed some needed road improvements on Oakland."

Schnucks Offers Customers Extra Variety and Value

Schnucks' ample product selection and variety of services provide residents with a shopping experience unrivaled in southern Illinois. The 24-hour super center will offer customers a full food bar/salad bar, hot food and Oriental carryout, and an in-store bakery. In addition, Certified Black Angus Beef will be available in the service meat department. Customers also will find a full selection of the President's Choice premium line of products and the full range of Schnucks' private label products and Nancy Anne Bakery items, including the Healthy Living line of low- or no-fat cakes, brownies and muffins.

Other store features include full-service meat, seafood and deli departments, floral with wire service, bulk foods, video, health and beauty care and general merchandise departments. An in-store bank branch will be opened by First National Bank and Trust Co. in the fall. Cellular phones and pagers will be offered as well. "The exceptional quality of our perishable departments and the broad product variety throughout our store will surprise a lot of people," said Tom Eakins, Carbondale store manager. "We think our customers will be delighted particularly by the variety, value and quality in our fresh produce, deli, meat, seafood and dairy departments as well as our various specialty departments."

A professional pharmacy also enhances customer convenience. The store's pharmacy will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. It is among the 78 pharmacies operated by Schnucks in four states. Schnucks honors most major insurance programs, including Health Alliance, Group Health Plan and PCS.

Including its new Carbondale location, Schnucks operates 94 stores in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois and Indiana, including 73 stores in metro St. Louis. The family-owned company was founded in St. Louis in 1939.