Philadelphia-Area Hardware Stores Experiencing Shovel Shortages With More Snow In Forecast
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- In the middle of winter, our area is experiencing a shovel shortage. With more snow on the way, stores are having a hard time keeping essential supplies in stock.
Eyewitness News went searching for shovels, ice melt, and ice scrapers at several stores. It was really hit or miss depending on what you're looking for and where.
"Winter's great when it snows for a business like ours," Moorestown Hardware owner Peter Bender said.
Business has been so great this winter that some items were out of stock Tuesday at Moorestown Hardware in Burlington County.
"The ice melt becomes a commodity this time of year. When it's gone, it's gone," said Bender.
He says the last few winters have had only a small number of snowfalls, so this season many hardware stores ordered fewer winter supplies than usual. Now, all this snow caught stores and even suppliers off guard.
"Local warehouses are pretty much out of ice melt," Bender said.
Across the bridge at 3rd Street Hardware Ace in Old City, this is where shovels are usually placed for customers. There were none left Tuesday.
"I don't have any shovels right now and I'm down to three snow brushes," said Mack Rowe.
There's no salt either.
"These last free storms, they really knocked us out," Rowe said.
And up north at Madle's Hardware in Lehigh County, snow blowers are on backorder.
"In the past, we've had had large storms and had large orders to fill but never at this volume," said Josh Christopher.
Workers say they've sold a record number of snowblowers this season, likely because old man winter just won't quit.
"I think people are tired of shoveling at this point. There's nowhere for the snow to go, you can only push so much snow to the driveway then it needs to get pushed further," Christopher said.
Some big box stores are low on winter supplies too. And some just don't have time to order more as they're now preparing to stock spring supplies.