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Customers flock to area hardware stores in search of ice melt, shovels and sleds ahead of winter storm

The phones rang off the hook at many hardware stores in community with customers hoping to find salt and de-icer.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Inside Brownsboro Hardware & Paint, the phone rang constantly with numerous calls about the availability of salt ahead of the expected winter storm.

Mary Ann Grymeicen was one of those callers.

“I called this morning and they had – oh yeah, I had just received a pallet of deicer,” she said. “Because I stock up every fall and I get it. And I didn’t do it this year. It’s my fault.”

Originally from Minnesota, Grymeicen may be used the ice but Louisvillians don’t speak this language.

“It’s just been crazy – as you can hear the phone just never stops ringing. It’s clear that mostly anyone in the city of Louisville is out of ice melt and ice melt products and everybody is just frantically calling around,” Doug Carroll said.

Carroll is the manager of Brownsboro Hardware and is used to selling necessities. This, he said, is on another level.

“It’s tough not being able to have everything you want for your community,” he explained. “We haven't had snow, or significant snow here in Louisville for over two years, so it's not surprising a lot of people aren't really prepared for it."

Collins said the store has went through about 20 pallets of ice melt with many people frantically searching for the next hot commodity – salt.

Even for those like Grymeicen who are used to the winter weather chaos, she said, “I’m always prepared, but not this time.”

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