Coronavirus: Connecticut Stop & Shop Stores Alter Hours

DANBURY, CT — Grocery store chain Stop & Shop on Monday reduced its hours and established special shopping times in response to the spread of the new coronavirus.

Effective immediately, most Stop & Shop stores will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily to allow employees more time to unload deliveries, stock shelves and serve customers.

Beginning March 19, Stop & Shop will start special hours for customers 60 and older. The stores will open from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. exclusively for customers over the age of 60, who the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials say are most vulnerable to coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Stop & Shop officials said the move will allow the vulnerable population to shop in a less crowded environment for social distancing. Store staff will not request identification for entry but said they reserve the right to ask customers to leave if they are too young. (To stay on top of real-time coronavirus updates in your town and Connecticut sign up for Patch’s free news alerts and newsletters.)

The grocery chain, headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts, operates 92 stores in Connecticut.

Stop & Shop officials said store staff are taking additional hygiene measures, including wiping down checkout areas, conveyor belts and pin pads with disinfectant even more frequently.

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