Demand For Salt Keeps Hardware Stores Busy Ahead Of Winter Storm
ALLEGHENY COUNTY (KDKA) - Hardware stores in Allegheny County are staying busy this week because of the demand for salt ahead of the winter storm.
Residents have been flocking to locally-owned hardware stores to stock up on salt because of concerns about the ice from the upcoming storm.
"I thought I had two bags of calcium in the basement, but I had two empty bags. So I decided to drive up and get some fresh ones, so somebody else can spread it and not me, ha," said David Lang, a Bethel Park resident.
Lang said he always goes to Evey TrueValue Hardware in Bethel Park when he needs salt in the winter. Employees at the store were busy all day on Wednesday helping customers prepare for the icy, snowy mess on the way.
The owner said the store is good on supplies right now. On Wednesday evening, the store had 200 tons of bulk salt, 2,000 bags of calcium, 3,000 bags of magnesium and 1,000 bags of regular salt.
It was also snowing customers at Rollier's Hardware in Mount Lebanon on Wednesday.
"Sadly, I'm here for rock salt because I ran out. I had probably three or four bags and I used it all and I don't have a drop left," said Dawna Kopko, a Mount Lebanon resident.
The owners of Rollier's said more than half of their customers have been looking for ice melter. Their supply was thinning out quickly on Wednesday night, but more is on the way.
"We're unfortunately getting really low on ice melter, so we have a little product available. But we do expect it all to be gone by close. We are reloading tomorrow so hopefully, it gets here tomorrow morning so we can have a bunch more to sell," said Derek Satterfield, part-owner of Rollier's Hardware.
Whether you're stocked up or not, it's almost time to brave the next winter storm.
"This is Pittsburgh, it's called February, get a shovel, and don't worry about it," Lang said.
Satterfield said if you need ice melt when the storm begins, make sure the roads are safe enough to travel on and be careful if you drive.