KTA Superstores has announced a change in hours.  The reason is twofold:  to allow employees time to restock and thoroughly clean the stores, and to give employees some much-needed time off.  Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, shoppers have been buying more products than usual,  more shoppers are in the stores, and employees have been working extended hours.

In addition, KTA stores are implementing changes to help with CDC social distancing regulations, and that will mean that the number of people inside stores will be limited.  KTA Superstores President Toby Taniguchi said KTA will ask customers who need to wait in line to stand six feet apart — as per the CDC regulations– and while in the store, or waiting at the checkouts, to allow proper spacing.

Taniguchi said most supplies are coming in regularly with a good supply, especially locally-grown and locally-produced items.   Taniguchi said KTA is committed to helping our local ranchers, farmers, fishermen, and producers get their products to customers in these turbulent times.  Some items coming in from the mainland are taking longer to arrive, because of the increased demand nationwide.  But as Lauren Zirbel of the Hawaii Food Industry Association said in an op-ed, the Hawaii supply chain remains strong.

The new hours for KTA stores are as follows.  The first hour for each store on Wednesdays and Sundays are “kupuna” shopping times, with other shoppers asked to defer their visits to a later time or a different day, if they wish to shop early.

The new store hours are effective Wednesday, March 25, 2020.