Raleigh shoppers rush to stock up on supplies ahead of winter weather

RALEIGH, NC (WTVD) -- Folks across the viewing area were preparing for the snow by stocking up at hardware and grocery stores Tuesday night.

ABC11 went to Seaboard Ace Hardware in downtown Raleigh and the Food Lion on New Bern Avenue, and while we saw a steady stream of folks going in to both stores, with some supplies running low, nothing had sold out by 10 p.m.

Managers at both spots said it's because they prepped in advance for the winter-weather rush.

One manager at Ace Hardware, Anderson Claypool, said he was working on his day off so they can prepare for the worst while they hope for the best.

"Now as of tomorrow our truck may get stuck so that's why being overstocked is better than not being prepared in time," Claypool said.

Some Food Lion shoppers were trying to do just that.

"I am shopping because we don't want to get caught up in the house with no food," Darlene Dubois said.

The rush caused a headache for others doing their regular shopping.

"We were from up in the Adirondack mountains and you always had a loaf of bread in the freezer and powdered milk on the shelf because you might not have power for a week," Claudia Lebarron said.

Bread was flying off the shelves at the New Bern Food Lion, but still rows of loaves were left. The milk, restocked.

"We'll bring in extra staff," Food Lion manager David Cooper said. "We'll bring in extra ordering, and we'll have plenty of supplies and plenty of essentials for everybody."

While both stores said they plan to be open during their regular hours Wednesday (if they can), public officials do ask folks to stay off the roads if there is snow.