MEADOW LAKES — An Alaska-based grocery warehouse chain is finding success in the Mat-Su Valley and beyond.

Three Bears recently opened its new Meadow Lakes location at the intersection of the Parks Highway and Pittman Road. The new store is the latest addition to the Three Bears family — a chain of six stores with locations in the Valley, Kenai, Seward, Tok and Butte, Mont.. Since opening its doors Feb. 29, Meadow Lakes store manager Justin Weisz said business has been good.

“It’s been busy,” Weisz said. “Right now all our registers are going all the time.”

CHRIS GILLOW/Frontiersman Produce clerk Will Dodd stocks bins in the produce section at the new Three Bears store in Meadow Lakes. The new location has a full line of fruits and vegetables.

The manager said bringing the business to Meadow Lakes grew from a discussion with the owner of the building. And after conducting a survey to assess the need for a store in the community, the company decided to expand. Although the new location is a little smaller than the other Mat-Su store on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, Weisz said the Meadow Lakes branch carries all of the same products. Shelves are stocked with a hefty supply of produce, dairy products, frozen items and dry goods. The store also has a deli, meat department and liquor store.

Larry Weisz, Justin Weisz’s grandfather, bought his first grocery store in 1980 in Tok, the company reports. After establishing the business, he expanded to Valdez in 1989, when he opened the first store with the Three Bears name. With the business expanding and finding success in communities across the state, Weisz said customer service is still the most important thing for Three Bears to provide.

“Our No. 1 priority is our customers,” he said. “We care and we’ll try everything we can to make them happy.”

In addition to customer service, the manager said location is also part of success. While shopping opportunities exist in Wasilla, the Meadow Lakes branch provides easy access for those who live outside of the Valley’s retail center, he said.

Daryl Darnell, a Big Lake resident, said the new location is a welcome addition to the area.

“It’s just great to have someplace close by to get groceries at decent prices,” Darnell said.

Darnell said he ventured to the new location for his weekly shopping trip. Only a few aisles into shopping, he had a cart full of groceries, which included chips, cereal and bread. And with a family to feed, saving money on a monthly grocery bill of about $1,000 is important.

“I’ve gone to Palmer to shop at Three Bears, but with the price of fuel it’s quite the trek,” he said. With a large selection and helpful staff, Darnell said his Three Bears experience has been great.

Liz Koester, a Meadow Lakes resident, said she’s impressed by what the store has to offer.

“I like it,” Koester said. “They have a full stock of everything, and that’s really good.”

Koester said she traveled to the store to buy some flour tortillas for a meal of quesadillas, but she expected more to end up on the shopping list as she walked through the aisles.

As a Meadow Lakes resident of 16 years, Koester said she and the rest of the community have been waiting for a full-service grocery store to enter the area.

“We’ve always wanted a store out here and now I think we have a good one,” she said.

Kathy Snitker, a Big Lake resident, said she didn’t come to Three Bears with a detailed grocery list; rather, she went to check out the new location.

“I’m very happy it’s here,” Snitker said. “I’ve always enjoyed shopping at the Four Corners store.”

Snitker said she prefers shopping at Alaska-based businesses. When it comes to groceries, she only shops at Three Bears and Steve’s Food Boy in Big Lake.

“I believe in supporting local citizens,” she said. “I like to see local people achieve and be successful.”

Overall, Snitker had only good words to describe her thoughts about the new store.

“It’s convenient, clean, fair-priced and they have a variety of products,” she said. “I also like the fact that you can buy large quantity or just for one person.”

The Meadow Lakes branch of Three Bears is located at 445 North Pittman Road. For more information visit www.threebearsalaska.com or call 357-4307.

Contact Chris Gillow at chris.gillow@frontiersman.com or 352-2284.