If you sell PVC pipes, milk, or tow cars, cold weather is big business
Greg Yandell, owner of the ACE Hardware store in Hendersonville, spent time earlier this week analyzing his inventory.
As of Tuesday, his store was sold out of its supply of between 125-150 outdoor faucet covers. Three additional cases were on order and expected by Friday. Why faucets? Uncovered faucets can lead to frozen pipes, Yandell said, especially on older homes.
He’s expecting in the coming days to sell a lot of PVC pipes due to frozen pipes that burst. Also electric space heaters, kerosene heaters and sleds.
From hardware stores to tow trucks, cold weather is big business in Nashville, especially when it snows. But that doesn’t mean employees and entrepreneurs like Yandell are wishing the worst on Music City.
Latest update:Nashville temperatures reach 0 degrees; wind chill warning in effect across Middle Tennessee
“It’s a double-edged sword,” Yandell said as he prepared for single-digit temperatures on Thursday and Friday.
“It’s why we’re here, but at the same time, you see it can be hard on people.”
Tina Sanders can relate. She and her husband, Bobby, co-own S&S Towing and Wrecker Service in Lebanon. Service calls during extreme cold events range from vehicle jumpstarts due to dead batteries to cars and trucks stuck off-road.
“Sometimes we can’t go any better than the cars,” she said. “I will say the phone never stops ringing.”
More:Should you start your car and warm it up in cold weather? Here's why you don't.
It’s definitely the season for a remote starter for your vehicle, said Andrew Slemp, owner of Christian Brothers Automotive in Murfreesboro. Slemp said broken door handles and windshield wipers, low tire pressure and dead batteries are typical issues for motorists enduring the extreme cold.
His advice? A de-icer product. Lukewarm water can help, but hot water can crack glass, he warns.
Want to see milk, bread, beer and wine disappear from grocery store shelves? Look out for frigid forecasts.
Especially snow.
“There’s definitely a level of excitement in the air anytime the weather calls for snow,” said Kroger spokesperson Lauren Bell. “We do typically see an increase in customers shopping at our stores when there is snow in the forecast, and this week you can combine that with folks out shopping for the ingredients for their holiday meals.”
Over at Middle Tennessee Electric, crews entered winter week on standby. The utility serves 750,000 people in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, including Williamson, Rutherford, Cannon and Wilson. It's the largest customer of the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Warning:Nashville, Middle Tennessee under winter weather advisory; life-threatening wind chill expected
"If there is an outage, they hit the door and they are off to get it fixed and get the power turned back on,” said Larry Rose, a spokesperson for Middle Tennessee Electric.
"We make sure our workers have proper clothing and are protected against the weather as best they can."
At Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary in Mt. Juliet, team members are able to stay on-site overnight so they don’t have to drive in harsh conditions.
“But as for the dogs, only minor changes,” said Mirena Cissell, the director of dog care. “Depending on the temperatures outside, we may close the doors and open them only for potty breaks, but if the dogs are tolerating the weather we still give them free roam.
“A lot of dogs actually enjoy walking in the colder weather more compared to the warmer temperatures. Some dogs love to be outside, and it's like you have to force them to come in.”
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cold weather is big business if you sell PVC pipes or tow cars
