It's very slow today...phones not ringing, no emails... People are worried and pre occupied about where to get more toilet paper!!!
Perception IS reality, and both of the stores I visited tonight were completely out of TP...however, I was the proud winner of the last 9-pack of Charmin. I held off until 9pm this evening hoping to avoid the rush, but as the night wore on, the store actually became more crowded....unlike anything the store personnel has ever seen for a Saturday night, one worker reported.
While I was there, special notices went up on the doors and at the cash registers. Both of our major 24hr grocery chains announced that starting tomorrow (March 15th), they will be operating on limited hours (6am-11 pm for Walmart and 7am to 10pm for Kroger) until further notice. The gal at the register said it was to help with "the extra cleaning, and to stock the shelves".
I'll be honest...I stocked up for 2 weeks, which isn't something I normally do but given the unknowns I guess it's better to be safe than having to fight the Black Friday equivalent just for necessities.
So, after visiting both grocery stores tonight, here's what I noticed in our sleepy little town in Southern lower Michigan:
1) On similar items, Walmart's shelves were a lot more barren than that of Kroger. Given the fact that WM is the price bully, that's to be expected.
2) But within the confines of Walmart, it's the lowest priced stuff that has cleared out first. Quick-fix meals in a box, frozen foods, frozen pizzas, bread, and PB&J were mostly nowhere to be found.
3) My guess is that once the "higher priced" stuff at Walmart is finally depleted, shoppers will trek across town and begin repeating the same process at Kroger.
4) And finally, our only stand-alone independent grocer (albeit, the highest prices in town) has been on the radio this week announcing an extra "5% off, customer appreciation sale"...in hopes of bringing the same carnage to his shelves. If (and when) the aforementioned stores do sell out, he just may get his wish.
One thing's for sure...we've never seen times like these, and one thing that has kept me grounded lately has been visiting our local cemeteries (I do stone engraving). It surely helps keep things in perspective. Along with that, I have a new baby granddaughter due the first week in April, so I'm riding fairly high on optimism and good vibes.
JB