SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — This freezing weather has Shelby County residents rushing to hardware stores for essential items. For example, Germantown Hardware, where assistant manager Karen Barnes says business is up.
“Maybe double, triple the amount of people,” she said.
People are coming in to prepare for more days of extremely cold temperatures and the potential for snow and ice. Items like heaters, faucet covers, ice scrapers, bottles of de-icer and bags of salt for driveways are flying off the shelves.
Barnes says a supply of items they got Friday morning were almost all gone by 4:30 in the afternoon. Barnes also says the store is now ordering more from suppliers to meet rising demand.
“We do anticipate more crowds coming in,” Barnes said, “It’s always nice to have a boost in sales no matter what.”
There were plenty of customers at the Lowe’s on Germantown Parkway Friday as well. Byron Williams said he’s been looking for a generator in case his power goes out.
“Just want a generator,” he said, “I don’t necessarily know that I need one, but I want to have one in the event that I need one.”
In addition to the essentials, people are also buying fun winter items. Karen Whaley came to Germantown Hardware hoping to buy a sled for her two young sons and she was able to snag the last one.
“Well, we’ll take it!” she said, “I’ll have the boys share.”
