Safeway

Seven Mile Market in Pikesville launched what's thought to be the nation's largest kosher supermarket Tuesday, offering shoppers kosher versions of almost everything they could find in a conventional grocery store. Everything, that is, but bugs in the salad bar. And baby seahorses in the sushi. "People are not aware their salads have quite a few insects in them," said Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld of STAR-K Kosher Certification, explaining that the newly relocated and expanded market has a kosher inspector who checks all salad greens for bugs.

Seven Mile Market, a kosher supermarket in Pikesville that has drawn Jewish residents and others from around the region, plans to move and double in size - likely making it the largest operation of its kind in the nation. The market, which opened in 1988, is moving to a Safeway store on Reisterstown Road near its current location on Seven Mile Lane. Already known for offering a wide variety of meat, fish, baked goods and other foods, the market will expand its product offerings as it moves into 55,000 square feet from its current 28,000-square-foot location.

The closing of a supermarket in a Baltimore suburb is hardly big news; most of the people affected by it usually just drive to the next available store. In the city, the condition is more delicate; Baltimore is eager to attract new stores, not see them close. So, in that regard, I found it surprising that the only person to call me about the looming closure of the Safeway in Mount Clare, on the city's southwest side, was the guy who runs the check-cashing place next door. Robert Rombro, of the Cash Bar, worries he'll lose customers if the Safeway closes, but he also had this to say: "There are no other major supermarkets in the area, and the local residents will have to find transportation to the county; most don't drive.

Safeway is slashing the prices on thousands of items in its stores as the region's grocery market becomes more competitive and consumers look for deals to survive the recession. The grocer, with 140 stores in the Baltimore and Washington area, has cut as much as 25 percent off prices on items in every department. It follows other supermarket chains, including Giant Food and Wegmans, which have cut prices because of the economy. The economy has caused people to change their shopping habits, by using more coupons, buying more store brands and buying cheaper cuts of meat.

Monday downturn raises questions about market CHICAGO - The stock market's 187-point nose dive Monday abruptly ended the Dow's brief foray into positive territory for 2009, leaving stock-watchers to ponder whether an unexpectedly strong spring rally will survive into summer. Plenty of evidence suggests the bull market may be done, or at least out of momentum, after 14 weeks on the upswing. The economy remains fragile, investors are increasingly worried about the prospect of rising interest rates, gas prices are climbing again, and a market correction was probably overdue.

Healthy diet program at 8 supermarkets County residents can learn about eating for good health during Good Food for Good Health Weekends at local supermarkets. Health educators will answer questions about nutrition and distribute free low-fat recipes and other information for eight weekends. The weekends are sponsored by the Anne Arundel County Health Department's Learn to Live program and will be available at the following stores: * Lauer's Supermarket, 8095 A Edwin Raynor Blvd., Pasadena, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 8. * Lauer's Supermarket, 8479 Fort Smallwood Road, Pasadena, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 13; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 14; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 15. * Graul's, 1388 Cape St. Claire Road, Annapolis, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 20; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 21; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 22. * Graul's, 607 Taylor Ave., Annapolis, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 27; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 28; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 29. * Box 'N' Save, 7931 Baltimore-Annapolis Blvd.

Giant Food managed to hang on to its position as the Baltimore area's largest grocery chain, but it continued to lose market share as competition increased, according to an annual survey by the trade publication Food World. Giant's share of the market slipped to 27.48 percent in the 12 months ended March 31, from 29.42 percent in the previous 12 months, according to the publication. Its 40 area stores brought in $1.26 billion in sales, down from $1.33 billion but still substantially more than the $738.

Union employees at Giant Food and Safeway supermarkets in the Baltimore-Washington area voted overwhelmingly yesterday to approve a new four-year contract that largely preserves health care benefits and includes wage increases. Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Locals 400 and 27, which represents more than 23,000 workers, voted in separate meetings yesterday at the Baltimore Convention Center and the D.C. Armory. As workers streamed out of the convention center after voting, many seemed surprised - and relieved - that they were able to hang onto company-paid health care.