The cast of Ruler Foods employees were ready for action this morning just prior to the doors opening at 10 a.m. (Photo by Dan Brannan)

 Crowds lined up before 10 a.m. to be the first to visit the new Ruler Foods store in Godfrey.

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INSIDE LOOK AT RULER FOODS IN GODFREY:

GODFREY - Ruler Foods in Godfrey opened its doors to a line of people anxious to see and experience the new store at 5771 Godfrey Road Thursday morning.

The doors opened at 10 a.m. and there was already a long line ready to be the first to see the store. The store employees were equally excited to serve the customers and begin Ruler’s time in Godfrey.

Mark Belleville, director of merchandising for Ruler from Seymour, Ind., was in the city for the store opening and he said he couldn’t be more proud of the employees who had been hired and what the finished product looked like before the onslaught of customers.

Ruler took a facility that had been vacant for a period of time and made it into something that will attract customers from Lewis and Clark College, nearby neighborhoods and all over the Alton-Godfrey region because of selling mostly the Kroger brand.

“One of the things I am most proud of is we have the quality of the Kroger brand back in the area,” Belleville said. “I am really excited to have this store in Godfrey. It is our seventh store in the St. Louis area. This is like coming home for us in some ways because this years ago was a Kroger location.”

Belleville said he is also excited the hired staff built the shelves and stock them with items.

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“They have been here when it was just an empty shell and put it together,” he said. “The workers have incredible pride in the store and have done an absolutely fabulous job.”

Belleville continued: “We felt there was a need for the store or we wouldn’t be here, but we will fill out a niche in the neighborhood. We are a full shop, we don’t have a pharmacy, but we have everything else, from fresh meat, fresh produce and the majority of Kroger brands in the store.

“You won’t see high-low pricing, the prices are prices for day in day out. We would like to be known for the best price and the quality of the Kroger brand.”

Belleville took RiverBender.com on a walk through of the new store and it was spotless and everything packed to intricate detail. He was especially proud of the fresh meat and produce, two staples in Kroger locations.

“We carry about 80 produce items and we keep it fresh and do the same with our meat,” he said. “We don’t have a meat cutter or butcher, but what we actually have is what we feel will work for any customer.

“We are proud of our organic, natural foods. We have organic ground beef, chicken and about 60 different organic items throughout the store.”

Belleville stressed again that the Ruler location was a “full shop.”

“We say you can get everything for breakfast, lunch and dinner, clean your house and even take care of your pets by coming here,” he said. “For every day, we are the place we believe you can live day in, day out in our store.”

SEE VIDEO FROM OPENING DAY BELOW:

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Related Video:

Ruler Food Grand Opening