LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Another round of winter weather coming late this weekend could have you wanting to stay indoors, but the days leading up to it gets many out of the house to prep, which is good for business at Keith’s Hardware in Louisville.
What You Need To Know
- After the recent ice storm, a bout of heavy snow is heading to Kentucky
- Kentuckians are going all out to prep for the upcoming snow, something that has boosted business at Keith's Hardware
- At Keith's Hardware and countless other retailers, salt and ice melt is impossible to find
- Sleds are also selling very well
“People don’t like the bad weather. We like it because winter is our slow time, and snow and ice brings us an extra run of income, which helps us through January, February, March, getting ready for spring,” said David Burghy, a salesperson at Keith’s Hardware.
Burghy said two exterior walls outside the hardware store were recently lined with pallets full of ice melt bags but now the store is completely sold out, and the next shipment doesn’t arrive until Wednesday.
Burghy said every minute the phone is ringing with requests for ice melt. Keith’s Hardware only offers curbside pick up during the pandemic, and Burghy said most cars pulling up are also asking for ice melt, like Andy Carter who tried unsuccessfully to pick some ice melt up Saturday morning.
“Well, I would liked to have had the salt, but I didn’t really expect him to…I thought he would be sold out by now,” Carter said.
Being sold out of ice melt is a bummer for customers but good for business. Burghy said he has worked at Keith’s Hardware since 2002, and he said that business now reminds him of what it was like during the historic storms from 2004.
“We sold everything too, but this has been a long time that we haven’t had any bad weather,” Burghy told Spectrum News 1.
Burghy said sleds are also selling fast, with about 75 sold so far. However, snow shovels haven’t been as popular right now.
“Because with the ice you can’t use it. So, hopefully, we’ll sell more snow shovels with the next storm that’s supposed to be hitting here tomorrow,” Burghy said.
This already slow season during normal times has also been a bit slower because of the pandemic so this winter weather is welcomed.
“We’re holding our own because we are still open. Not being able to let people in kills impulse sales... So in and out, we service the cars, but it’s been a little slow, but during the ice storm, it’s been good,” Burghy said.
The winter weather is good for business, but it’s also good for Burghy.
“It makes the day go by faster,” Burghy exclaimed.