Massachusetts Home Depot closed due to "significant snow" on roof, customers scramble for supplies

Heavy snow from Sunday's storm continued to disrupt daily life in the Greater Boston area on Wednesday, closing businesses, damaging buildings and forcing residents to navigate icy roads and snow-packed sidewalks.

One major casualty of the storm was a Home Depot location in Watertown, which was closed due to damage to its roof caused by the weight of accumulated snow, according to a Home Depot employee. The closure left customers scrambling for supplies in the aftermath of the storm.

"The snow is just causing a lot of problems," said Brandon Bannon, an electrician with the city of Watertown who was hoping to pick up materials for a repair job. Instead, he was forced to change plans after finding the store shuttered.

Watertown Home Depot closed

"We saw significant snow accumulation on the roof and temporarily closed the store out of an abundance of caution. We're working closely with city officials to remove the snow and make sure everyone can work and shop safely. We hope to have an update on a reopening time soon," a Home Depot spokesperson told WBZ. 

City crews have been working to clear streets and sidewalks, but residents say the storm's impact is still being felt days later.

"It's been tough. We're doing our best," Bannon said. "The guys at the DPW they're getting it done and it's improving and they're clearing it and hopefully it's all out of here soon."

For many, the inconvenience goes beyond travel conditions. Some residents were unable to purchase essential equipment needed to deal with the snow itself.

"I was just going to shop for a snowblower," said Jesse Chen. "And then found out Home Depot is just closed."

Without access to new equipment, Jesse said she had to rely on manual labor to dig out.

"We have a long driveway, and we had four people all shoveling by hand," she said. "It took, I think, 10 hours."

Customers search for alternatives

Other customers were forced to look elsewhere. Peter Gailitas was spotted sitting in his car outside the closed store, searching for alternative hardware locations on his phone.

"This place is deserted," he said. "I've never seen anything of this size shut down."

Despite the inconvenience, Gailitas said he did not mind the extra effort. He planned to drive about 22 minutes to the nearest open Home Depot and took the situation in stride.

"Oh, it's lovely," he said when asked about driving in the conditions. "This is New England, I love this weather."

As cleanup efforts continue, city officials urge residents to remain cautious on icy roads and sidewalks while crews work to restore normal conditions following the storm.