Grocery store chain re-purposes salad bars to serve booze, cereal, candy

May 22 (UPI) -- A Missouri-based grocery store chain is finding creative ways to use its closed-down salad bars, with stores using them as beer and liquor bars, cereal bars and even an "energy bar."

Dierbergs Markets, based in Chesterfield, Mo., said its stores closed all salad bars due to COVID-19 concerns in March, and the bars sat bare until Rick Rodemacher, store director of the location in Manchester, Mo., decided to stock the one at his store with other items.

"He tried other fresh food items at first but when that wasn't really working he came up with the idea to place beer cans in the empty space," Dierbergs Markets said in a statement provided to UPI. "It started with beer cans and liquor bottles. Other have done their own versions. We now have a tiki bar, cereal bar and energy bar."

A photo of the Manchester store's booze-filled salad bar -- with the word "salad" crossed out on signs so they just read "bar" -- went viral after being shared on social media by customer Stephanie Hadfield.

The store chain has since shared photos showing relabeled salad bars filled with candy, cereal and energy bars.

"On an everyday basis, we challenge ourselves to build best-in-class displays. A crisis wasn't going to get in the way of our team's creativity," the chain said.