Owens makes every second count in shopping spree at Rodhe’s
Tina Owens chats with Keri Rodhe after the 90-second dash through the aisles of Rodhe's Marketplace netted Owens $334 worth of groceries and an additional $90 bonus, all for free. There will be another shopping spree soon as Rodhe's celebrates its 90th anniversary.
On Friday, Sept. 6, Tina Owens did something she’s done hundreds if not thousands of times before: She went shopping through the aisles of Rodhe’s Marketplace in Millersburg.
Only this time when she ran her groceries through the checkout line, the total sum registered as $0.00.
That was because Owens became the second contestant to participate in Rodhe’s 90th anniversary 90-second shopping spree.
Owens, who hails from Glenmont, was the second of three contestants chosen from anyone who has spent $90 or more and used their Rodhe’s reward card to pay during the past three months. She was excited, honored and more than a little nervous about her 90-second spree, not because she wasn’t sure where to go, but for a much more humorous reason.
“I am such a social person. I was afraid I’d see someone in the aisles and stop to talk,” Owens said. “I kept saying to myself, ‘Stay focused. Concentrate.’ Fortunately, I made it through.”
She said she knew what she wanted to get, but once the clock started, she said she kind of freaked out. Then there was an unexpected twist.
Keri Rodhe, who supervised the event, told Owens that if she collected three specific items, she would receive an additional $90. Those items included a Pepsi product, paper towels and a can of soup, a feat that only added to the pressure facing Owens.
“I was frantic,” Owens said. “But it was so much fun.”
Following her romp through the aisles, where she headed directly to the meat department and loaded up, she could finally take a deep breath and appreciate the event for what it was.
“This is a huge blessing,” Owens said. “I’m so grateful to Rodhe’s and the Rodhe family for this. They are a local store, they are reliable and they care about the community, and that’s why I want to remain loyal to them.”
All told Owens’ bill would have been $334.62. Tack on the $90 for collecting the three key items and it was a prosperous day.
Rodhe said they have one more 90-second dash through the aisles coming in early October, and she said the prior two have been a blast to watch, the first one being Karen Keim.
“It’s been fun for all of us here to watch, but the one thing we really enjoy is that we are able to give back to the community that has been so loyal to us for so many years,” Rodhe said. “When we designed this, we wanted to do something dazzling and a little more vocal.”
Rodhe’s also has teamed up with Smith Dairy for an all-you-can-carry dairy dash and will have one more of those coming soon.
One side story from the main story was Owens has so many unique ties to Rodhe’s Marketplace. She actually worked there as a checkout employee from age 16-21. In addition, her mother Donna Rose was a longtime cashier there, and she actually met her husband Bill there when he worked in the warehouse. She said the two dated from 2005-06 and were married in 2007.
“Rodhe’s has always held a special place in my heart, and it was a thrill to get to do this,” Owens said.
Before the 90th anniversary celebration is over, one more lucky winner will have a chance to test their speed-shopping skills.