This store adds a surcharge to your grocery cost. The cashier told me it's because of Covid, but this is November 2024 so I don't think a Covid surcharge makes sense. Is that even legal? read more

Pacemaker Jr. is THE grocery store in the Durand, IL area. Unless, of course, you want to drive all the way into Pecatonica or Rockford the next time you are missing a cup of sugar or a stick of butter while you're in the process of cooking dinner. This area of the country is beautiful, acres and acres of tall corn plants and the Lake Summerset gated community with its beautiful lakeside scenery. Unfortunately it is not close to much in the way of shopping, so where are you going to pick up grocery staples or munchies in a hurry? Pacemaker Jr., that's where! Are you bored and looking for entertainment? Check out the redbox DVD rental station just inside the doorway. Are your carpets looking a bit bedraggled? Rent a Rug Doctor here and spruce them up a bit. Now, just in case you think this is a grocery store of last resort, you can buy loaves of bread that were baked right here in the store! They'll even slice them for you if you ask nicely. There is a surprisingly good selection of alcohol here. Now, you're not going to find a cucumber vodka or anything quite that specific, but there are still plenty of options to choose from. The produce selection is not quite as extensive as at Valli Produce, but everything here is fresh, ripe, and looks pretty, and covers most of your basic staples. This close to the Wisconsin border you'd be shocked if they didn't carry a wide variety of dairy items and there are no shockers here. There is even a delicatessen with a variety of premade items if you're not in the mood to cook a full meal. The bakery department is small, but is big enough to produce a variety of different types of bread. It may not look like much from the outside, but Pacemaker Jr. fills an important niche serving this farming community and the towns around it admirably. read more

See all

I have no clue why this place has bad reviews. The frozen pie section is truly life changing. Banana cream pie? Coconut cream pie? Chocolate pie? You name it they got it. Your one stop shop for groceries + the best damn pie read more

This is the WORST store EVER! The meat is brown, nasty looking. I don't think red meat is supposed to brown and stinky! The produce is rarely ever fresh. They are old and nasty looking. Frozen foods are expired! The staff are all rude. They have never, in 2 1/2 years said thank you and they rarely ever even acknowledge you at the checkout counter except to sometimes tell you the total. Now they are putting a 2% surcharge for inflation on your total! Their prices are already convenience store prices and to charge another 2% on top of that??? I'm done! I try to shop local but not here any more!! read more

This past Sunday (Father's Day), I shopped at the Durand location for my 80 year old mother, who has several pre-existing health/risk conditions. I have been shopping for her weekly since March. In the past, employees at the Durand location enforced the state required mask requirement and asked customers to put on a mask. Although - I frequently saw workers behind the deli counter without a mask. This past Sunday, 4-5 patrons without a mask entered the store (that I saw), while I was shopping. None of the employees asked them to wear a mask. They walked throughout the store without a mask and were in line behind me, and were not observing the 6 foot distance requirement. Just over the past several months, I have spent hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars at this store. If they are not willing to protect their customers by enforcing the law, I will take my business elsewhere. I am extremely disappointed by what I observed and was subjected to on Sunday. Customers without masks put me, my elderly mother, and their employees in jeopardy. read more

Pacemaker is the best grocery store in Durand! Yes, there is only one grocery store in Durand, but it still good! They don't have that much variety, but I'm just thankful they have anything. Yes their produce is not top-notch, but they are very nice and respectful. read more

So this used to be a nice local grocery store. Called the manager today. I'm done and will no longer shop there. Over the past six months the amount of food that we have thrown away upon arrival at home is crazy! Purchased Dole celery today for a stew. Went to cut it up today and it's literally rotten in the center! We've thrown away a whole chicken, purchased to grill when we get home. Open the package and the smell was horrible, rotten, another for the garbage. Found out yesterday that they are no longer selling broasted chickens, why, as we were told, the cooker is broke and the managers don't want to spend the $ to fix it. So there ya go, we dig local, in this case count us out from now on. read more

Hope you know it's illegal to deny a government issued ID with no reason also it's illegal to sell liquor to a person when someone else gives the money to the cashier with out being carded also lol also cashier was very rude read more

If I could give zero stars I would. Today is the last time I purchase meat from this store. I have purchased meat on the past only to find out that it was bad meat either colored or wrapped in good meat. Tonight I came home and put the nice red meat into the pan and went to break it apart and the inside was dark gray almost black and smelled. Called the manager and she stated that she needed it bad to give a refund or other meat in its place and she would leave it for the butcher. I am sure the butcher knows, I am sure everyone there knows that they sell expired products. Make the drive to Pec, Rockford or Freeport for your meat. Are they trying to make people sick?? And just because something is frozen does not mean it has not gone bad either! We have purchased breakfast sandwiches only to throw them out. read more

Love this place. Love their great meat deals and the meat is always good. Just a sweet great little grocery store!

I shop here only when I forget to pick up something at Valli or Schnucks. Prices are insultingly high on everyday items. They do have good deals on meat, and I've not experienced the expired products described by others. Over $5 for a pound of butter? $3.50 for a gallon of milk? Come on Pacemaker. You can do better. read more

Always nice and clean when I go there. Small town Grocery store with a lot to select from. This is not a convenience store at all. So nice to only drive 3 miles with no heavy traffic, good roads, and to go inside to be greeted with smiles. Never had any problems there. Very good food and all kinds of beverages. Wednesday is senior day and make sure you ask about gas discount at local mobile station. read more

If you shop here expecting a real grocery store you WILL be disappointed; however, if you come here expecting a convenience store you will be pleasantly surprised. The meat section is generally pretty good; the fruits and vegetables have been accurately described here by another yelper. The folks who work here are all very nice. The former manager, Mark, did an excellent job; it would be great if they'd bring him back. read more

Pacemaker. Clean up your store. It has become dirty and disgusting. Will not see me in there again unless I am absolutely desperate. Most fruit and veggies were no good with bugs flying around. The meat smelled foul. I did buy some chicken. Scary though. I went to go get buns from the bakery. There were gnats in the packages. Seriously. How disgusting!! read more

We shop at this small grocery occasionally and only because it's one of the few options near our home. The meat and produce sections are especially sad. Recent example: The other day, my sister bought two bags of prepacked green beans. When she opened them the next day, they had many brown spots and were getting slimy. Well, there goes part of dinner! This sort of thing happens all the time. Sometimes I wonder if this location gets old produce from other stores...or maybe they don't handle it properly. Overall, it's a dingy little place with a 70's vibe....one of the last holdouts of a once thriving local chain that has been relegated to the margins by the big chain stores. You want to support them, but they just don't seem to have much pride in it's appearance or operation. Perhaps that's not necessary when you're the only game in town. read more