Pine Knot News - A hometown newspaper with a local office, local owners & lots of local news

Super One Foods cashier Pam Line talks with a customer Sunday through a protective plastic shield that the company has installed at its stores to protect employees and customers from some accidental transmission of the coronavirus. Grocery stores are considered essential businesses, but the regional grocery store chain is doing everything it can to be safe, said Cloquet manager Bob Waltenburg, including putting up the shields, supplying gloves and masks to employees, deep cleaning every night and wiping down every cart as it comes in the store as well as wiping down the store day and night. "We're on it," said Waltenburg, stressing that the Miner's Inc. company has gone above and beyond to protect its team members and customers. "In my opinion we are in the forefront," he said. "Instead of following, we are leading." Patrick Miner, store director and part of the fourth generation of Miner family members to run the grocery store chain, said the next step will be to install more signs and floor decals reminding customers to practice social distancing. The store is also asking that only seniors and other at-risk populations shop between 6-8 a.m., to minimize their possible exposure to the coronavirus. For her part, Line said customers have been great, and she's never heard so many thank-yous in her life.