BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Many grocery stores reopening for the first time since the blizzard hit last Friday.
“Hope you are all safe,” echoed the intercom from inside the lobby of Wegmans on Amherst Street in Buffalo as shoppers headed inside to begin shopping.
The line of shoppers wrapped around the outside of the building before the doors opened at 10 Tuesday morning, but no one seemed to mind the wait.
“Wasn't expecting a line when I came in,” laughed Jason Giron, Buffalo resident.
“I have seen a line, but it didn't matter. I was going to stand in line regardless,” Lisa Wilson remarked. “Were you running out of stuff? Buckley asked. “Yes,” replied Wilson.
Wilson, a Buffalo resident, tells me she lost power during the blizzard and had to replace everything in her refrigerator.
“I just was here Thursday night, grocery shopping the day before the storm,” explained Wilson. “How did you survive?” Buckley questioned. Pray, bundling up, and just being patient,” reflected Wilson.
The Amherst Street Wegmans is among nine of its stores in Erie and Niagara counties to reopen Tuesday.
Shoppers told me they were out of essentials.
“Me and my friends are just getting some eggs, bread, and milk. We’re making some Ramon actually — so we're going make pork belly Ramon,” noted Mike, shopper.
For many, they say this was the first time they were able to emerge from their homes since the blizzard started on Friday.
“More or less the first time to really get out of the house,” replied Giron. “What did you run out of?” Buckley asked. “Just some medications, coffee — a couple of little basics here,” Giron said.
“I was cooped up Friday afternoon to yesterday and it's not what I'm used to,” commented Bruce Jackson, resident, Town of Tonawanda.
Shoppers were also busy buying essentials at the Tops at Sheridan and Delaware in the Town of Tonawanda.
“Is this the first chance you've had to get to the supermarket?” Buckley questioned. “Yes, and I have no more milk, no more lettuce — low on cereal — low on bread — thank God Tops is opened on Delaware and Sheridan — everybody — come here,” declared Jane Dowdall, Kenmore resident.
Items were flying off the shelves at Tops. The bread aisle was practically empty.
Jackson says he was out of bread and milk and was thankful to be able to shop.
“When you look at it. I'm one of the lucky ones. When you think of what's happened to some of the people homeless. 20 some people died, so when you look at it like that — I really can't complain,” Jackon described.
A Tops spokeswoman says nearly all of its locations have reopened in Erie County.
All Wegmans in Erie and Niagara counties will reopen Wednesday at 7 a.m.
A reminder, the Amherst Street Wegmans will be closing at 7 p.m. Tuesday due to resources to maintain operations.