University students filled the aisles of the newly reopened Harris Teeter yesterday, six days after the popular grocery store closed because of a fire.
Harris Teeter offered a $5 off coupon for any purchase of $25 or more. The coupon was printed in the Daily Progress, Charlottesville's local newspaper, as an incentive to come out to the re-opening.
"I'm glad the Harris Teeter reopened," second-year College student Kelly Graves said. "It's better stocked than Kroger and more convenient than the other big stores on [Route] 29."
Third-year Law student Andreas Stargard said convenience also is a major draw for University students, saying he "shops here often -- about three times a week, to pick up little things. The Law School is so close you can always drop in." He pointed out several other Law students shopping in the store.
Diane Fleshman, a store manager at Kroger, however, said Kroger was able to accommodate the extra customers while Harris Teeter was closed. The snow scare last week also drove more customers than usual to the store.
Extra milk, frozen food and grocery trucks were brought in to handle the influx of customers, Fleshman said.
"It was unfortunate for Harris Teeter, but we were glad to take care of all our customers and will continue to take care of them," she said. "We'll do anything to keep those customers happy."
Fleshman said she hopes Harris Teeter customers noticed that Kroger is much cheaper in certain departments.
"I appreciate their business, I'll be glad to get things that customers need," she said.
Harris Teeter's re-opening surprised many of the customers. Ron Leer, an Albemarle County resident and 1954 University alumni expressed surprise at the speed with which the store was back in operation.
"I shop here pretty regularly because of the good products and convenience," he said. "My daughter, who also graduated from U.Va., loves to shop here when she is in town."
Leer said he would make use of the coupon as well.
"I wanted to get out here before the coupon ran out," he said.
Andrea Ayers, a Charlottesville resident, said convenience is the reason she shops at Harris Teeter, as she quickly paced down the aisles with her children, aged four, two and eight months.
"The fire was a pain in the neck," Ayers said, adding that she shops in the morning to avoid the flux of University students.
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