Discount Grocers is closing its doors

The cost and methods of doing business for a local discount grocery store have led to the store’s eventual closing.

Discount Grocers opened in March of 2020 to provide affordable products and goods to the Lovell community. However, in recent months the store was not making ends meet financially and is having a going out of business sale, where everything is being sold at a reduced price.

“I wanted to see if I could help the community buy cheaper food,” said Gene Zeller, owner of Discount Grocers and co-owner of Queen Bee Gardens.

According to Zeller, Discount Grocers cannot stay in business because of the high cost and the lack of different products. He said he sometimes receives the same products he already has on hand and that were not selling. 

“The company I was buying from has raised the prices,” Zeller said. “My seller kept on bringing a pallet of the same products. I would end up with eight cases of shelf stable milk and six cases of cornbread. All the products would be the same, and when the seller brings me the same items your shelf never changes.” 

Zeller said starting Discount Grocers was a learning experience. He said if he could have done it over again, he would have done things differently.

“I would have done business with a different company,” Zeller said. “My business started during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the company I bought from was the only people I could find. They were OK to do business with initially, but I should not have bought full pallets of the same product. The seller told me he would not send two pallets the same and that I could get by with that agreement. However, I was not getting different products.”

Zeller said Discount Grocers wasn’t successful not because his customers did not want to do business with him. He said the problem is that you
cannot run a small business if you do not have what customers want.

“How often do customers come into my store to buy cornbread?” Zeller said. “I probably have at least 4,000 bags of cornbread I am not selling. Everyone has bought what they want; however, too much of the same product was a losing proposition for my business.”

Zeller said that even though Discount Grocers has not worked out the way he wanted, the family continues to have success with affiliated businesses Queen Bee Gardens,
QBEE Stores and Zeller and Sons Honey.

Discount Grocers currently offers buy one, get two free on single items and cases. For more information, stop by Discount Grocers next to Queen Bee Gardens located at 244 E. Main St.