Loyal customers sorry to see Sak N' Save go

The aisles inside Carson City's Sak N' Save on Friday were largely picked over, save for a few bottles of ketchup, energy bars and other odds and ends.

A couple dozen people milled, looking for deals on everything from barbecue sauce to canned soup before the longtime capital city grocery store location closes its doors Sunday for good.

"I'm sorry to see it go," said Corey Sommers, 37, who has shopped at the grocery store for more than two years. "They had really good prices and good produce and the people are friendly."

The grocery store was a Scolari's for about 35 years until it rebranded into a Sak N' Save in October 2008 in an attempt to cope with the weakening local economy. Sak N' Saves, which are owned by Scolari's, generally have fewer options and lower prices than Scolari's.

"The reality is retail environments change, neighborhoods change, consequently, you can't stay and do business, especially a grocery, in the same location for years and years and expect that environment to remain the same," said John Stampfli, the marketing manager for Sparks-based Scolari's. "It's just the way it is."

Stampfli said the store's 40 employees may be offered positions at other Scolari's locations in the region, but did not say how many had been offered jobs so far.

Andrew Penrose, 20, and Jenni Hood, 20, visited the Sak N' Save on Friday in search of cereal and salad dressing. For the two shoppers, who usually go to Costco, Raley's or Whole Foods, Friday's visit was their first time inside the Sak N' Save.

"No one I know shops here," Penrose said.

Added Hood, "It's kind of run down."

But for Jerry Springer, 72, the grocery store holds sentimental value.

Springer lives just around the corner from the Sak N' Save location, which is where he has picked up groceries for decades.

"I couldn't believe it right at first because I've shopped here for 40 years," Springer said Thursday morning.

Despite the rebranding two years ago, Springer said he remained a loyal customer. Now, he's going to look for a new place to shop, most likely Savemart, Smiths or Walmart.

"It was so easy for me," he said of the location.

Once the store closes, Scolari's will have 18 locations in the region, including four in central California. Stampfli said a Carson City location may open again depending on the market.

"We're in it to stay and we're going to keep moving forward," Stampfli said. "Obviously it's not in that location, another location in Carson City, sure."