By Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / February 27, 1998

LAPLACE – The new Winn-Dixie Marketplace opening Mar. 5 at 7 a.m. willoffer the first-ever self-checkout lanes in Louisiana.

The store, 61,644 square feet in size, is located on the west side of the Belle Terre Boulevard/Airline Highway intersection on Airline.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for 9 a.m. that morning, inauguratingthe 24-hour store.

The new Winn-Dixie will feature four self-checkout lanes, where items can be scanned on a conveyor belt, identifying each item and its price. Thecustomer will then get a printout of their purchases and pay as they leave.

“It’s pretty smart,” commented Roseanne Wentworth of Winn-Dixie marketing.

The idea is to speed checkout for customers. Raymond Lunn, Winn-DixieLouisiana president said, “We’re delighted to bring area residents the latest in supermarket services and technology.”The system was tested at one of its Jacksonville, Fla. stores to greatsuccess, Lunn added.

Additional features of the store is a pharmacy open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, an extensive wine selection,deli department, bakery and photo lab.

Also, a cafeteria-style seating area is included at the Food Pavilion, where customers may purchase ready-to-eat entrees and side dishes. Morefeatures include a melon bar, seafood selection, salad bar and meat counter.

A complete floral department, smoke shop and a financial center for money orders, Western Union and check cashing are also included at the new Winn-Dixie.

“Our goal is to create a supermarket that caters to the sophisticated tastes and needs of today’s shopper,” Lunn said. “We are making everyeffort to provide customers a wide variety of products and services.”Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. has more than 1,180 stores in 14 states and theBahamas. Winn-Dixie Stores operates 86 stores in Louisiana and Mississippi.

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