Stores see rush as Lansing area residents prepare for storm
LANSING — Walking out of the Ace Hardware store in the Frandor Shopping Mall, sisters Teri Center and Toni Rose were all giggles.
They had picked up the last of their snowstorm supplies including stuff to fix a toilet in the downtown Lansing home that Center, 65, just moved into from Arkansas.
"It'll be my first real snowstorm," Center said, brushing off the previous small snowfalls she's experienced this winter.
She's a little more excited than nervous and is leaning on Rose, who is more familiar with snow.
Their biggest worry: Center hasn't unpacked the boxes that have the games and playing cards, and they love to play games together.
They've got the food necessary to cook up jambalaya and buckle down for the snow.
"I just hope we don't lose power," Center said.
Across the area, people spent Friday getting ready for the expected snow. Big department stores like Walmart and Meijer had their shovels near cash registers as the snow started to blow Friday afternoon.
At the Meijer on Lake Lansing Road in East Lansing, the parking lot had more than usual vehicles and checkout lines were long. Popular grocery items seemed to be bread, milk, beer and toilet paper.
David Wolery filled his shopping cart with firewood and firelogs as he walked his young boys through Meijer’s East Lansing store. Show was flying in a few directions outside.
The East Lansing resident said the family usually keeps a stock of firewood to curl up to something warm in the house.“It also helps to heat us up, I think it does,” he said.
Quality Dairy's convenience stores were making plenty of sales as people stocked up, generally on the basics like milk and bread.
"But we have a lot of people getting a few extra doughnuts, just in case," said Phil Platte, marketing manager for QD.
He said customers typically stock up on the usuals, along with enough doughnuts to last a few days.
In downtown Lansing, teachers Will and Jenna Lovitt, both 29, pushed a stroller with their children, 3-year-old Edmund and 1-year-old Benson.
"We're going to the museum," Jenna Lovitt said.
It was a great a way to spend their surprise snow day together as a family, she said.
Jenna Lovitt said they are probably set for groceries, but they may make a run just to be on the safe side.
Contact Mike Ellis at mellis@lsj.com or 517-267-0415
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Stores see rush as Lansing area residents prepare for storm
