No 'rewards?' No problem

There's still one big store that treats you like a person.

When you check out, you don't need to dig through your purse or wallet for the right penalty card. Sorry - we mean rewards card.

There aren't two different prices for items. There are no forms to fill out. You don't need to give your zip code, your area code or your secret code. You simply pay cash, write a check or swipe your debit card. With your receipt you also get to keep your relative privacy.

Super 1 Foods is a refreshing anomaly these days. They're steadfastly bucking the trend of so many other retailers intent on finding out everything they can about you and your shopping trends.

Now it isn't unusual to make a purchase at one major retailer and, by the time you get home, there's a receipt and accompanying sales pitch waiting in your computer's inbox. That is the direction we're headed: Lower prices in exchange for your information and then targeted yet impersonal marketing programs built on an online empire; less reliance on superior customer service and consistent quality merchandise at fair prices.

The former is what most customers have grudgingly come to expect. The latter is standard operating procedure at Super 1.

We know this sounds like an unabashed advertisement for a local business that is battling against national chains. So be it. We're consumers, too, and we grow weary of the hoops shoppers must jump through while trying to figure out what price they're paying for a product and what price they'll end up paying in terms of privacy.

We appreciate a business that earns customer loyalty not through plastic cards and the illusion of discounts, but through excellent service and quality products at competitive prices. We hope others follow Super 1's example.