On January 7, prices were lowered on over 10,000 items throughout Ron’s. All customers will pay the lower price for certain items, and there are other items that customers with a Ron’s reward card can save on.
According to Drew Rhodes, who owns the store with his brother, Tim, they worked for months with their suppliers to bring down the cost on everyday items.
“We realize that people want to save money,” he said. “People need to save money, and we are taking the time, the energy, the effort and the money that we're putting into the fuel program, and we're taking it right back to our grocery shelves and lowering prices.”
Part of the lower prices is a 13-week guarantee on 31 items. Through April 7, prices will stay the same for items like frozen chicken breasts, which will go from $7.99 for a two and a half pound bag to $5.99. Some of the other marked down items are pasta sauce, peanut butter, bananas and potatoes.
“These are items that every family can relate to for filling their freezer, their refrigerator or their pantry for themselves and their kids,” Drew said.
The anniversary celebration includes two other initiatives. The first is that every time a customer uses their reward card, they’ll be entered in a drawing for a 2026 Jeep Gladiator. The drawing will take place over Father’s Day weekend. Drew spoke about this at a Chamber Coffee event held at Ron’s with the Pittsburg Area Chamber of Commerce on January 8.
“We felt like since my dad (Ron Rhodes) started the business, it would be a great time to give that Jeep away,” he said.
The second initiative involves a number of other local businesses. Ron’s will hold weekly drawings to give away gift cards to places like The Mall Deli, Chatters, John’s Sports Center and a number of others. Tim thanked them during the Chamber Coffee, noting that local businesses have to help each other.
“If you are members of the Pittsburg community, please support those businesses because they support other businesses in the community,” he said.
Drew and Tim also spoke of what’s made being in business for 50 years possible: the employees and the customers.
“Every member on our team is what allows us to be here today, and I want to say thank you to every single one of them,” Tim said.
Ron’s has been at a total of three locations over the years, starting with North Rouse Street in 1976, then the Meadowbrook Mall in 1983 and the current location, which was built in 1996. According to Drew, there are employees who’ve worked at all three locations.
As for the customers, the anniversary celebration is about honoring the fact that they’ve supported Ron’s for 50 years.
“There's a lot of really great family owned businesses in southeast Kansas, but it's not a given that we get your business,” Drew said. “We understand that we have to work for it, and that's what we try to do.”
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