By Vernon Robison

Moapa Valley Progress

Lin’s Marketplace in Overton cut its staff significantly last week in what officials called a post-holiday season layoff for the store. Photo by Vernon Robison.

A major Moapa Valley retailer and local employer experienced layoffs last week. On Tuesday, January 3, Lin’s Marketplace in downtown Overton informed five of its employees that they were being laid off.

While some recent corporate restructuring has gone on in recent weeks at the Lin’s parent company, Associated Foods, those changes did not necessarily bring about or necessitate the reduction in staff at the local store, said Associated Foods spokesman Bret Gallacher.

“We have looked at the staffing at all of the stores,” Gallacher said. “But this was more of a situation of a retailer making some cutbacks after the busy holiday season.”

The Overton Lin’s currently employs 85 people and is the largest retail employer in the community.

Gallacher said that the decision of making the layoffs had been a difficult one. “Even in a big company like Associated Foods, whenever anyone is let go, it is a big deal,” he said. “It is certainly a big deal to the individual and it is never looked at lightly by the company.”

But this reduction in staffing should not bring a lower quality of service at the local store, Gallacher said.

“Certainly our commitment is that service will be top notch not matter what,” he said. “There will be no drop-off in service levels. That is our commitment to the Moapa Valley.”

Despite the recent layoffs, the Overton store remains an important, long term, priority to Associated Foods, Gallacher said.

“Lin’s is definitely around for the long term in Overton,” he said. “We like the Moapa Valley community and we have appreciated the loyal support of our customers there. There are no plans to make changes to any of that.”