TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY (WKBW) — Many people were out at area grocery stores Thursday buying up food and other essentials to get ready for this potential blizzard.
“This has been non-stop since the store opened,” remarked Kathy Sautter, Tops Markets
You might say shoppers at this Tops Markets at the corner of Sheridan and Delaware in the Town of Tonawanda are playing a game of 'beat the clock’ — gathering up items ahead of the predicted blizzard that will begin hitting the region Friday.
Many shoppers tell me they were filling up carts to make sure they have all the essentials so they can stay home during the storm.
“What do you consider essential in your household?” Buckley asked. “I picked up extra water. My children love bread and just little things you know not too much,” shopper Glenda Crawford responded. “ And that's what goes the fastest — right? Bread, Water? Eggs?” Buckley questioned. “Yes, milk, eggs — yes!” Crawford noted.
Tops spokeswoman Sautter says they are "double the capacity of shoppers” Thursday. But shelves were fully stocked ahead of time.
“So instead of having some of our deliveries, which would normally come in later in the week and today and tomorrow. We pushed those earlier in the week to be able to prepare for things like this,” Sautter explained.
One of the items many consider essential in a snowstorm is bread. Most of the bread is fully stocked, but a few brands were starting to empty out.
“What are you missing from your list so far?” Buckley asked. “Cinnamon bread — cinnamon raisin bread for breakfast on Christmas morning,” remarked Carol Asbury, shopper.
But with the high volume of shoppers. They were running out of shopping carts.
It’s a very busy day @TopsMarkets at Sheridan & Delaware as the rush is on to get groceries & essentials ahead of the big storm. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/WkY9WEyG1h
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) December 22, 2022
The steady flow of shoppers was also picking up items to host Christmas celebrations.
“People are shifting their orders, so if they ordered something from the bakery or the ham dinner for their families, they are actually celebrating the holiday earlier, so they' are doing it tonight or maybe tomorrow instead of Saturday or Sunday,” Sautter described.
But despite the blizzard warning shoppers I spoke with shrugged off the bad weather remembering when they were just kids in the Blizzard of ''77.
“We walked on the west side to the old Bells and carried bags home. It’s like snow up to our waist — trudging through it — doing our shopping,” laughed Asbury.
“Back then snowmobiles on the streets and — going down to the milk machine that was sitting at the corner,” recalled shopper Mark Rebmann.
“So you’re blizzard ready?” Buckley questioned. “Oh absolutely — you know — not yet when we get done here — we will be,” replied Mark Rebmann.