Grocery Outlet celebrates 30 years with shopping spree

To celebrate the Grocery Outlet chain's 30 years of business, the Carson City store gave away a two-minute shopping spree Saturday.

John and Regina Dorman of Gardnerville raced around the store at 10 a.m., scooping armloads of food into their cart.

"We're going to donate it to FISH (Friends In Service Helping) because we got such good deals at the last senior discount day that we have no place to put it all," said Regina Dorman, a retired school teacher. Her husband, a retired U.S. Marine Corps major, was going through the checkout line. Store owner David Cox rang up their total: $84 worth of free food.

"We really like coming here," Regina Dorman said of the store near Carson and Bath streets. "It's clean, the people are friendly and the bargains are great. Everything's a good deal."

The couple focused on food that will last in the cupboards at FISH.

"They got mostly canned food, rice, beans -- a lot of canned goods," said Cox's son Michael Affrunti, who was visiting while on leave from the U.S. Navy. His girlfriend Judy McCurry was the timekeeper during Saturday's spree.

"I loved watching (the Dormans race around the store)," said Cox. "I wanted them to go faster. I wanted to help them."

"Yeah, I wanted to start throwing stuff in their cart," Affrunti said.

The Grocery Outlet chain was started 30 years ago this month by Jim Reid in Berkeley, Calif. His sons Steven and Peter Reid organized a month of giveaways to celebrate, according to Cox.

The first week in September stores raffled off $50 in free groceries, the second week's prize was $75 worth and during week three they gave away $100 worth. Saturday's spree was the grand prize. A customer drew the Dormans' name from all the names collected over the month.

There are about 140 Grocery Outlet stores along the West Coast, said Cox. He has worked with Grocery Outlet for 14 years and has owned this store with his wife, Lynne, for 14.