Philadelphians Flock To Grocery Stores For Winter Storm Essentials
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With heavy snow and the possibility of power outages expected in the city, people across the Philadelphia region blitzed to stores to stock up on food and other supplies. Grocery stores across the area have been seeing a rush since Thursday night, and it's more of the same Friday.
Loading up before the storm hits.
"I got all my milk, got bread, meat, a little bit of everything to keep me happy," West Philadelphia resident Toni Latimer said.
Checkout lines of people inside Fresh Grocer on Monument Road making sure they have the staples they need.
Karen Lewis and her family recently moved from Florida.
"We found everything that we needed," Lewis said. "Everything. We got dog food, we got salt, we got water. I think we're good. We're just going to stay in and hunker down with this weather."
A trusted grocery list is helping Dwayne Sterling navigate the store quickly.
"Trying to get in before the snow gets deeper," Sterling said. "They're running out of a lot of stuff, but you know how it is, so you got to get in and get in quick."
Sterling said it was a family affair; his wife was on the phone with him to make sure he got the right groceries.
The store is fully staffed, and owners are ready for the rush.
"We have a meat delivery. We have one more big meat delivery coming later this morning," Sandy Brown of Fresh Grocer said. "Really, I think it will ramp up probably right after lunch. It'll get much busier as people are getting off work early and getting ready for the weekend. So we'll be ready."
In a few hours, practice will become reality.
"I have two cars that I need to shovel out and I think this storm is going to be real," Lauren Bishop of Mount Airy said. "Sounds like we can count on this one."
That Fresh Grocer will stay open until 11 p.m. Friday, with regular hours expected for Saturday.
With the influx of customers looking to purchase shovels and salt and other storm supplies, True Value store Mascot Ziggy is helping get customers in and out. While some may not be looking forward to digging, children will be just as excited as Ziggy for what's to come.
"My little girls love playing in the snow so they're really excited," Kyle Hause said.
Keep in mind, depending on the severity of the storm, some stores may have adjusted hours, so make sure to plan your errands accordingly.
