Surprising new grocery store amenities

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published 29 July 2016

Next time you run to the grocery store for milk or bread, consider staying for Zumba and a pedicure. From coast to coast, major grocers are introducing in-store amenities. What you may find:

Health and spa services.Exercise is one of the few things you can’t buy online, and grocery stores are filling the void. Squeeze in a yoga, barre or Zumba class at ShopRite before shopping, or treat yourself to a facial, massage, wax or mani-pedi at a Whole Foods spa. Polish your culinary skills with a healthy-cooking class at Publix or Giant.

Home improvement.Ace Hardware has partnered with grocers in the Midwest and South to open hardware stores-within-a-store that offer 86% of the chain’s typical product selection. Among the best-selling items at the grocery locations: lawn and garden supplies, plumbing equipment, seasonal merchandise, and tools.

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Free child care.You won’t need to worry about kiddie meltdowns in the cookie aisle at Kroger and ShopRite. Both stores offer free child care at select locations while you shop.

Puhak is an editorial intern supporting Kiplinger's Personal Finance and Kiplinger.com as a member of the 50th annual American Society of Magazine Editors internship class. She is a senior at Rutgers University, majoring in American Studies and Political Science, where she reports for the official campus newspaper The Daily Targum. Previously, Puhak has interned at Hearst and Bonnier publications.