By Chris Fish
cfish@hometownnewsol.com
MELBOURNE -- Discount Dave's Grocery Outlet gives Melbourne residents an affordable, local option for dry or canned goods.
Opened since December, Dave Kramer and his wife, Cat, said their main inspiration for creating their store was to give residents an alternative option to chain supermarkets in the area.
"There is no retail like our store in Melbourne," he said. "Here, people can buy outdated cereal for half-price. You can save 50 percent on stuff because a box is torn open or something may be two months past expiration. The point is to provide cheap food, period. I think people like that extra option."
Mr. Kramer said his store receives reclaimed food in bulk from a distributor, primarily consisting of damaged packaged items or expired canned goods.
"You go to a chain, like Walmart or Publix, and there is always that one back corner with day old bread or open boxes of soup," he said. "It costs a lot of money for square footage, and they don't want to dedicate a lot of space for that in the store. Here, we dedicate the whole store to (these items.) Folks expect it to be cheaper."
To determine the price for his items, which usually are within the dollar or less range, Mr. Kramer said he and his wife gather inspiration from other stores.
"A lot of our pricing is guessing or trying to decide what we think is a good deal," he said. "A lot of what we do is recon work, where I go to stores and see what they are charging. As far as a place like Walmart, where you are guaranteed a good deal, we try and beat that."
In the future, Mr. Kramer said he hopes to expand his business to include a larger variety of foods and find a new location for the store.
"I hope to find a bigger place," he said. "We have a lease on this location, and it is already feeling a little cramped. I also hope to one day stock food that requires refrigeration. I would start with produce, then move to dairy and then meat, in that order."
Discount Dave's Grocery Outlet is open on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at 1518 S Babcock Street in Melbourne.
For more information, call (321) 960-0670 or visit www.facebook.com/discountdavesinc?fref=ts.