The owner of a pair of small food markets in southwest Iowa is opening two sets of refrigerated lockers in nearby communities that no longer have grocery stores. Theo Ramsey, who runs Ramsey’s Market, with grocery stores in Lenox and Manning, is now offering the locker service in Shelby and Walnut. Ramsey says it’s a simple system.
Each of the outlets has 30 lockers, 15 refrigerated and 15 for frozen foods. For people who plan ahead a little, he says it’s a cost-effective, convenient way to get your groceries.
Ramsey is calling the new venture “Fresh Out of the Box,” and he anticipates it will quickly become very popular. It’s not just about the groceries, he says, but it’s also about keeping people in their rural communities and helping those towns continue to grow.
The lockers are part of a pilot program funded through Iowa Economic Development Authority’s rural initiative program. Ramsey was awarded a Catalyst Grant of $100,000 and an Empower Rural Iowa grant of $20,000 to kick start the estimated $1.9 million project.
