SALISBURY, Md. - Rock salt and snow melt are becoming tough to find across Delmarva after last weekend’s winter storm drained supplies at local stores, prompting retailers to hunt for inventory as another round of wintry weather approaches.
David Kenney, president of The Hardware Store, said snow melt is running short across the industry and his supplier told him Wednesday it will not have any more product available for the rest of the season.
“We were told this morning that our supplier will not have any more this season,” Kenney said. He added the store started with a “stockpile,” but “blew through that last week,” calling Saturday “one of the busiest customer days we’ve ever had.”
Kenney said the store is out of snow melt and only has a small amount of solar salt, which is typically used for water conditioners. He said they are trying to reserve it for that purpose, but a few bags may go out for emergencies. He also said calls have been constant, including questions about other storm-related items such as wood pellets.
At Johnson Seed and Feed, general manager Shannon Thomas described the situation as “bleak,” saying the store has been scrambling to find product anywhere it can.
“We have called all of our distributors, we’ve tried Walmart, Sam’s Club, Lowe’s, Home Depot,” Thomas said. “We’ve gone as far to Wilmington, all the way down to Virginia.”
Thomas said the store got busier toward the end of last week as forecasts shifted, and many shoppers waited until Thursday and Friday to buy salt and melt. By the time they arrived, she said, options were limited.
Both retailers say the next weather threat is driving another wave of customers, even as restocking remains uncertain. Forecasts for the Lower Shore call for very cold temperatures into the weekend, with a chance of light snow Saturday and more snow possible Sunday.
Store managers urged shoppers not to wait until the last minute if they find salt or snow melt in stock. If supplies are unavailable, they recommend preparing to shovel early and often, and using alternatives such as sand for traction on slick walkways and driveways.