Residents Load Up On Supplies Ahead Of Winter Storm

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The inch or so of snow that came down on Sunday may pale in comparison to what's headed to the Philadelphia region this weekend.

(Reporter:) "You're preparing for the storm aren't you?"

"I am," said John Duffy.

Duffy, in search of a new shovel.

"I actually lost my last one."

One of a steady stream of people in and out of Rittenhouse Hardware preparing for the storm.

Ice melter is also popular item and there is plenty of it.

Last winter hardware stores sold out of ice melter, but pallet after pallet here at this store -- overstock after a very mild start to this winter.

"We were just waiting and hoping for something, and yeah, we were trying to think even two weeks ago. What are we going to do with the salt, because we have to make room for all the soil we have to buy in bulk."

That wait may soon be over, heavy snow expected come Friday, so folks who aren't prepared are stocking up now.

Fairmount Hardware also has plenty of snow removal supplies sitting around after a mild start to the winter season.

"We still had our plants out because everybody was still, hey I want to get plants. I want to get plants. The weather is so nice. Thinking about their greenery and stuff and all of sudden we're moving to all this and coming back to shovels."