Local businesses prepare for storm
By Joey Pitchford and Steve Herring
Published in News on October 6, 2016 9:58 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Employee Ricky Artis marks measurements on one of the windows at EZ Bait and Tackle Wednesday as the business makes preparations for Hurricane Matthew.
Local businesses are taking what steps they can to prepare for Hurricane Matthew, predicted to impact eastern North Carolina this weekend.
Dwayne Bevell, manager of EZ Bait and Tackle, has been watching the storm carefully. As a fishing-based business, EZ Bait and Tackle is directly invested in regional fishing conditions, and Bevell makes sure to keep a close eye on weather patterns that could affect them.
"The surge after the storm, when it pushes the water up the river, that's what you really need to look out for," he said. "This building went under during Floyd."
While Dwayne spoke, his father, Gary Bevell, worked outside with employee Ricky Artis to cut boards for the store windows. Gary was operating the store during Hurricane Floyd, and said that it took three days before the water reached its highest point. This could happen again with Matthew as the storm pushes water up the river, he said.
Meanwhile, Goldsboro grocery stores have seen increased sales in the last few days, but are still generally well-stocked and prepared for whatever demands they may face ahead of Hurricane Matthew. Charlie Carlson, a manager at the Food Lion on Ash Street, said that sales had "absolutely" increased ahead of the storm. But prudent planning has kept the store stocked up.
"We had a good game plan ahead of time, which just means being aware from past experiences of what people are going to buy and making sure we have plenty of those things," he said. "Making sure we have lots of bread, water, eggs, flashlight batteries and things like that."
Perry Kornegay, a manager at Carlie C's on Wayne Memorial Drive, said that the store had seen "nothing too spectacular" in terms of increased sales. Nothing in the store is running short, but Kornegay said that management has made plans in advance to combat a potential rush.
"We're just making sure we have enough of the stuff people buy, like bread and milk," he said.
At Delmus Hardware, Katie Jones rattled off what items have been flying off the shelves without glancing at an inventory sheet.
Lowe's Assistant Manager Steve Twiddy did the same.
But while the storm-generated buying frenzy has kept the stores busy on Tuesday, both agree that customers appeared more relaxed Wednesday.
"Propane gas tanks, oil lamps, oil wicks," said Ms. Jones as she counted off the top sellers. "Cases of water, siphon pumps, batteries. Flashlights of course. Gas cans. That is probably about it.
"(LP) Gas has been big. That has been the biggest thing I would have to say."
Customers are calm and don't appear panicked, she said.
"But they want to be prepared pretty much," Ms. Jones said. "We know more today (about the storm) than we did yesterday. So today they are a lot more relaxed. But they still don't want to take any chances because like my mom and grandma saying like (Hurricane) Hazel did. It wanted to go out and then it was like woo, it's coming back. Everybody is calm and relaxed, but they didn't want to be without."
For Lowe's, basic hurricane items have been popular, Twiddy said.
"Generators obviously are the most popular right now," he said. "Batteries, flashlights, lanterns, water. Those are the main things that people are looking for when they come in. They are also looking for tarps for their roofs just make sure that they are ready."
The store had sold out of generators, but a shipment of 46 was expected Wednesday afternoon.
"Almost every single call that we have is for generators," Twiddy said.
"It is not a group coming and going, it was all day yesterday " he said. "Today it has not been as busy as it was yesterday. It seems like people are more relaxed. I hear more people saying they don't feel like it is going to hit us very hard. I don't know personally, but that's the word around I have heard from most everybody -- 'I don't think we are going to get that hard. It looks like it is going to turn around and go.'"