Pownal Store Offers Discount Foods

By Susan BushPrint Story | Email Story
Neil Krawczyk and Leanne Silber have opened a "Discount Foods And More" store on Route 7 in Pownal, Vt..
Pownal, Vt. - Sunshine Sauer is a married mother of three children and said she knows how very, very, far family funds have to stretch these days. School clothes, vehicle fuel and utility costs are decimating even the most frugal budgets. But an Aug. 29 shopping excursion to the Route 7 Discount Foods store opening day brought a smile to Sauer's face. "This is awesome," she said as she moved from aisle to aisle and perused the range of non-perishable foods, personal hygiene items and household supply products. "This is so clean and neat. There's so much here, the prices are awesome and they've done a great job." "They" are Neil Krawczyk and Leanne Silber, who once operated the space as "The Good Old Days" ice cream parlor. The restaurant closed during late spring of 2005 and the premises had been on the selling block for months. A successful sale evaded Silber and Krawczyk, who maintain their home at an on-premises apartment, and the couple decided to find another use for the property. The couple considered possibilities and sought some input from a group of area residents, Krawczyk said. And The Survey Said....Cut Food Costs! "We sent around a little [survey] and people thought something like [the store] was a good idea," he said. "And [Silber] thought it was a good idea. It's really helpful for the seniors." The discount foods store will likely benefit town residents employed at seasonal occupations who often face lay-offs, those whose wages are within a few dollars of minimum wage, and families with school-age children. In short, the store hopes to benefit all town residents and those who drive along Route 7. "It's getting too tough for people," Krawczyk said. "People don't want to pay the prices that they pay at the small stores but they don't want to have to spend all their gas driving out of town to get to the supermarkets all the time. Now they don't have to." Stock is likely to change because Krawczyk and Silber cannot control what discount items their suppliers deliver. Deliveries occur on a monthly basis. "It's like Christmas, you don't know what they're going to bring," Krawczyk said. Food, Personal Care Items, Cleansers, And More Opening day found an abundance of brand-name products such as tooth whiteners, toothpaste, shampoo and other hair care items, skin care items, bath soaps, laundry detergents, disposable diapers,hair dyes, household cleansers, paper towels, toilet paper, pet food and more non-food items. Food items included brand-name cereals, pasta, jarred pasta sauce, sugar, flour, coffee, peanut butter, juice boxes, canned and bottled juices, pickles, olives, pasta side dish mixes and more. Prices offered generous savings; canned tuna was priced from $.60 to $1, and 10-ounce containers of Grey Poupon mustard with horseradish were priced at $1. A 28-ounce spray bottle of Windex window cleaner was priced at $1.75, as was a 32-ounce spray bottle of Lysol cleanser. A $.25 bin holds items that show signs of some damage, such as dented cans. A bin of sample-sized items such as deodorants and other personal care items offer the products at 5 for $1. "It was pretty busy in here all morning and people said they were coming back," Krawczyk said. "People really liked the selection and the prices. And almost everybody said something about how clean it is in here." Seeking Approval To Accept Food Stamps Parents appeared especially excited about the juice boxes and a selection of brand-name microwaveable meals popular with children, he added. Also currently in stock are some first-aid items and a selection of makeup with brand names that include Revlon, Cover Girl, and L'oreal. Silber said that she has begun the required process to gain federal government approval to accept food stamps. She is hoping to receive approval notification within the next two to three weeks, she said. "For now, we plan to stay with non-perishable foods," she said. "That is the plan for the immediate future." Discount Foods is located on Route 7 across from the Pownal Elementary School and the Oak Hill Child Care Center. The store accepts cash and checks as payment for purchases. The store is open Tues.-Thurs. from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.. The store is closed on Sun. and Mon.. Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush@iberkshires.com or at 802-823-9367.
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Pittsfield Officials: Unlimited Trash Not Sustainable, Toters Offer Cost-Savings

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Unlimited trash pickup is not sustainable and will lead to higher taxes, city officials say.

Mayor Peter Marchetti began public outreach on Monday on the proposed five-year contract with Casella Waste Management for solid waste and recyclables. Older residents packed into the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center for the first of three community meetings.

On the table is a move to automated pickup utilizing 48-gallon toters, which would be at no cost to residents unless they require additional toters and would save the city $80,000 per year.

The goal is to execute a contract by July 1, the start of the fiscal year.

"Trash collection is not free. You're already paying for it as part of your taxes that you pay. In this administration, in this proposal there is no 'I'm looking to create a trash tax,''' Marchetti said, explaining that trash pickup for fiscal year 2025 is around $5.1 million and has doubled since he first served on the council in 2002.

"So we need to find a way to stem the cost of trash."

Some of the seniors praised the new plan while others had concerns, asking questions like "What is going to happen to the trash cans we have now?" "What if I live in rural Pittsfield and have a long driveway?" and "What happens if my toter is stolen?"

"I've lived in a lot of other places and know this is a big innovation that is taking place over the last 20,30 years," one resident said. "It's worked in most places. It's much better than throwing bags of garbage on the side of the road."

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