Hardware stores swamped from snow
Feb. 28—Brian Mushel, manager of Justus True Value Home & Garden in Scott Twp., just had to look around the store to see it was a profitable winter season for the business.
An empty space signaled an increase in sales.
"We're setting up for spring, and a year ago I had 200 shovels in my way," Mushel said.
This year, shovels were selling so fast Mushel had trouble keeping them in stock.
"The snowstorms have been more frequent than in the past, so shovels have been selling more than normal," he said.
In fact, it has been the second snowiest February on record in Northeast Pennsylvania.
The total snowfall amount for the month at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is 27.6 inches as of Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
The record is held by February 2014, when the airport received 29.3 inches.
Snowfall for the 2020-21 winter season stands at more than 52 inches, well over the season average of 46.2 inches.
"We thrive on winter business, so the more snow and ice the better," Mushel said.
Scott LaCoe, owner of the Dalton Do-It Center, also noted sales are up this winter.
"The numbers show it," he said. "Last February, we sold about 400 bags of rock salt because it was so mild. This February, we've gone through about 2,000."
LaCoe also ordered double the amount of snowblowers this year.
"I miss the warm weather from last winter, but it's good for business," he said.
His business hasn't had much trouble keeping the shelves shocked except for the occasional absence of Qik Joe ice melt.
"For some reason, inventory has been good," LaCoe said. "I've been able to get pretty much whatever we needed from my distributer."'
LaCoe is thankful the production and delivery of many winter staples have not been hampered by the pandemic.
"The whole winter, we've been OK," he said. "It's one of the few things that hasn't really been affected."
Matt Totten, assistant manager of Driscoll's Home Center in West Pittston, said the staff attempts to anticipate the storms, but it was still difficult to keep the store fully stocked this winter.
"We try to plan ahead and pay close attention to the weather forecasts, but we can't keep snow blowers in stock, shovels are flying off the shelves and we're getting pallets of ice melt a couple times a week. Things have been moving faster than we could keep the supply up."
In addition to the standard winter essentials, Totten also noticed a run of recreational items like sleds and inner tubes for kids.
Mushel stressed it's challenging to predict the severity of each winter season.
"It's so hard to count on weather," he said. "You never know what the forecast has in the plans for us with snow and ice. We try to stock our store conservatively, but still have what people need."
While the season hasn't officially ended, Mushel predicts sales are likely up 100%, if not more, over last winter.
"We haven't seen the grass since December up here," he said.
Contact the writer: rtomkavage@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9131; @rtomkavage on Twitter.
