New Jersey Stores Busy As Holiday Shoppers Collide With Residents Stocking Up On Supplies Before Winter Storm
PARAMUS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Many people in New Jersey spent Tuesday stocking up on groceries and supplies ahead of Wednesday's snow storm, making for a perfect storm inside stores.
As we brace for the largest snowfall in years, supplies are selling fast, CBS2's Nick Caloway reports.
It all comes in the middle of the busy holiday shopping season, and the pandemic is complicating all of it.
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At Home Hardware & Supply in Waldwick, a steady stream of customers came in for the usual last-minute snow storm supplies.
"Mostly shovels, some snow blowers, obviously, some generators and batteries and flashlights, and a lot of ice melt," store owner Rick Kadien said.
Some were grabbing sleds, too, as Bergen County residents prepare for a whopping foot of snow or more.
"Yes, I just got the notification that it was from 1-3 [inches of snow] to 12-14, so getting ready," Ridgewood resident Michael Varallo said.
"Oh, I think it's wonderful. I'm out here preparing for the snow to come, and I'm excited about it," Ridgewood resident Renee Watson said.
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Fifteen minutes away, it was a perfect storm at the Target in Paramus.
"It's really crazy in there," customer Albaliz Polanco, of Hackensack, said.
Long lines snaked around the store as pre-storm buying collided with the holiday shopping season -- all in the middle of a pandemic.
"Oh yeah, there were people behind me so close. They weren't even keeping distance," Polanco said.
Meanwhile, Bergen County is ready to roll out trucks packed with salt to battle the foot of snow that's expected to blanket the area.
That's only part of the plan.
"Tomorrow is going to be a little bit different because it's going to be a lot of snow," Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said Tuesday. "So you salt in the beginning and you salt at the end, but when the snow is coming down at an inch, two, three inches an hour, you don't salt. You plow, you plow, you plow, you plow."
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The county has about 80 plow trucks at the ready and heavy equipment, including front end loaders.
The main complex where the county runs its snow operation has 5,000 tons of salt stacked in three sheds. There are tons more stashed in other facilities throughout Bergen.
Officials are asking people to stay off the roads if they can during Wednesday's snow storm. Many roads in New Jersey have already been brined, and salt trucks and plows are ready to hit the roads Wednesday.
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