Snow means brisk business for grocers, body shops

There's been no business like snow business this winter, as Southeast Missouri has been blanketed with the wintry precipitation on an almost weekly basis.

The mushy snow may give fits to drivers (fender-benders and spinning tires), parents (countless school snow days) and basically everyone else (back-breaking shoveling), but the white stuff means more of the green stuff for businesses that sell items that help people cope.

"Snow normally brings out people, more so than usual," said Paul Harper, co-manager of Schnucks. "We've been selling more rock salt, bread and milk. For some reason, we always have a run on bread and milk when it snows."

Jackson resident Gus Brotherton was at Lowe's on Monday looking at displays of ice melt. Brotherton owns two four-unit apartments and has to buy bags of ice melt each winter.

But he doesn't complain.

"I'm not broke, that's not a problem," he said. "It's just the idea that it all costs money. But what are you going to do? You've got to have it."

Fred Elias of Elias Ace Hardware in Cape Girardeau said he can't keep shovels in the store. He's out and ordered more to come in Wednesday. He's also out of snow sleds and low on de-icer.

"We've sold a lot more of this stuff than usual," said Elias, who opened his hardware store on Kingshighway three years ago. "We've filled up our ice melt several times, and we're having to reorder items every week."

Elias said most people don't come in until after it has snowed, so the store stayed busy Monday.

Sales of some items have tripled at Lowe's in Cape Girardeau, said Brian Figga, the manager for seasonal lawn and garden items.

"Definitely, sales are up," he said.

For example, last year, Lowe's sold 477 40-pound bags of ice melt. In fewer than two months this year, the store has already sold more than half that amount. Last year, one snow blower was sold; this year, more than a dozen. Sales of shovels are also up.

"We're off to a good start," Figga said.

Going somewhere warm

But it's more than the obvious merchants like grocery stores and hardwore stores. Snow also helps businesses like travel agencies.

"It gets so cold that people start planning to get someplace warm," said Mark Hill, owner of Destinations Unlimited in Cape Girardeau. "People sit around and think they need to get out of the yucky weather. My phones were busy today."

People also tend to have more accidents on roads made slippery by snow. That means more work for local auto body shops, too.

"Work picks up quite a bit in winter," said Charlie Roberts of Charlie's Body Shop on Broadway. "The snow we got last time was quite a bit slicker than the rest of them. Winter is usually our busiest season. Body shops have been pretty busy over the past few weeks."

They might be staying busy over the next few days.

The National Weather Service is calling for a 30 percent chance of snow tonight after a 30 percent chance of snow Monday night, said Chris Nowles, a meteorologist with the service. There is a 50 percent chance of snow Wednesday, he said, with the best chance of snow Wednesday night.

"We really don't have any idea how much," he said. "What we're saying is significant accumulation is possible. In the back of our minds, that means 4 inches or more is certainly possible."

smoyers@semissourian.com

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