Weekend food shoppers, rejoice! Now you can jumpstart your work week with plenty of fresh produce because four Easy-Way stores are open on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
As Easy-Way regulars know, the markets have never been opened for business on Sundays. In fact, the chain’s website cites “no Sunday hours” as a bonus for employees.
“I guess we’ll have to update our site,” says Steven Carter, laughing. Carter manages the Easy-Way in East Memphis and is a great-grandson of Easy Way founder Pate Carter. He explains the family’s philosophy toward Sundays this way: “All along, our family thought they should be able to operate a successful business and not be open on Sundays — and they did. But times change. Many people work six days a week, and Sunday is their one day to shop.”
Already, the expanded hours are pulling in new customers, says Carter, especially since he started advertising Sunday hours on a large easel in the store‘s parking lot. “I see lots of new faces on Sundays, and they aren’t the same customers who shop here during the week,” Carter says.
In addition to the East Memphis store (814 Mt. Moriah), other Easy-Ways now open on Sundays include Midtown (596 S. Cooper), Bartlett (5905 Stage), and Frayser (2653 James).
“We hope to have all the stores with Sunday hours by the end of year,” Carter says. “The exact dates depend on staffing.”
–by Pamela Denney