Rosauers Supermarkets Inc.: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Rosauers Supermarkets was founded in 1934 when 20-year-old J. Merton Rosauer purchased a small grocery store on the corner of Sprague and Lee Streets in Spokane, Washington, financed by a $1,000 loan from his parents during the Depression era. Merton's father, Joseph P. Rosauer, had owned two grocery stores in Spokane where Merton and his younger brother Roswell had worked. After selling his first store by 1938 and reinvesting in additional grocery operations, Merton opened what would become Spokane's first true supermarket in 1949, located at Oak and 3rd Streets with 20 employees, marking the beginning of the modern Rosauers supermarket format.

Over the following 35 years, Rosauers grew into a chain of 24 supermarkets across Washington, Montana, Idaho, and Oregon, becoming the largest member-owner of URM Stores, Inc., a Spokane-based wholesale grocery distributor cooperative founded in 1921. In 1984, Mert Rosauer sold the company to URM Stores prior to his retirement, hoping the traditions he had established would continue under his longtime supplier's ownership. However, in September 1989, after just five years, URM Stores' board decided to sell the Rosauers chain, and on July 27, 1990, the company's 1,250 employees became the proud new owners of the chain through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) transaction, acquiring 15 food and drug stores, a freestanding pharmacy, an ice cream plant, and the corporate office.

Rosauers expanded significantly under employee ownership through the 1990s, acquiring businesses including Market Time Drug, Drug Fair, multiple Super 1 Foods locations, and other regional grocery and drug stores, while also building new stores in several states. In 1996, the company acquired the Monroe Street Market in Spokane and converted it into Huckleberry's, a natural and organic foods market format responding to rising consumer demand for healthful foods. In March 1997, after seven years of employee wage set-asides, Rosauers employees made their final payment on the $25.5 million ESOP deal, owning the supermarket chain outright. In June 2000, however, employees voted unanimously to sell the company back to URM Stores, returning Rosauers to its current status as a URM Stores subsidiary.

Today, Rosauers Supermarkets operates approximately 20 to 23 stores across Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon under the Rosauers, Super 1 Foods, and Huckleberry's Natural Market brands, headquartered in Spokane, Washington. Rosauers' workforce includes grocery clerks and cashiers, bakery, deli, and meat department staff, pharmacy technicians, and store management supporting its supermarket locations throughout the Inland Northwest.

Company culture and employee programs: Rosauers has a distinctive history of employee ownership through its 1990-2000 ESOP period, a chapter the company continues to reference as part of its identity and community connection. The company emphasizes serving the Inland Pacific Northwest with a mix of conventional supermarkets, price-focused stores, and natural and organic markets tailored to different communities. Benefits, scheduling, and advancement opportunities can vary by location and store brand, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the grocery retail industry, including Rosauers Supermarkets, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Rosauers is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard for grocery retail employers, particularly for roles involving cash handling and, for pharmacy positions, access to controlled substances.

The hiring process for grocery clerk, deli, and other store positions at Rosauers typically includes an application, an interview with a store manager, and a background check prior to a final offer. Pharmacy roles typically also require verification of relevant professional licenses.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a grocery retail role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws may extend or restrict this timeframe depending on the type of record and jurisdiction.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the role, particularly for pharmacy positions involving access to controlled substances. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Rosauers Supermarkets may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Rosauers Supermarkets or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.