BUFFALO, N.Y. — Efforts to refill grocery store shelves with much-needed supplies continue after stores were cut off for several days during the Blizzard of 2022.
Heavy machinery was seen clearing the I-198 Tuesday morning to allow delivery trucks a clear path through. There were several tractor-trailers lined up near the Parkside intersection waiting to deliver.
The Walmart Supercenter on Sheridan Drive in Amherst had bare shelves Tuesday afternoon in the dairy, meat, and cheese section when 2 On Your Side's Alexandra Rios went shopping.
There were empty display cases at the Wegmans in Cheektowaga, a packed parking lot, and plenty of shoppers. In the City of Buffalo, a long line snaked around the outside of the Amherst Street Wegmans close to opening.
A steady stream of people walked and even snowshoed to Dash's Market and the Lexington Co-Op on Hertel Avenue Tuesday afternoon seeking out essential items or a little something just to get by.
"Just try to make the next day or two more bearable in the house," said Jewel Dellarosa, who walked to the store with her family and left with several bags.
"We didn't find any bread," she added.
Milk was stuffed into backpacks, pizza was eaten al fresco and a few Buffalonians even transported their items kids and items via sled to the store.
“Bread, milk, orange juice, and toilet paper [laughter],” Cybil Morton said.
Morton's mission was twofold Tuesday, search for food and find gas so her essential worker niece will be able to get where she needs to go Wednesday.
Susan Uba had already been to Lexington Co-Op and several other stores before she stopped at the Sunoco at Delaware Avenue and West Delevan.
“I was walking by so I thought they might have eggs or milk I've got some rotting bananas at home so I was going to make some bread but it doesn't look like it's going to happen,” Uba said.
Back at Dash's Market on Hertel Avenue, store manager Mark Mahoney spoke briefly with 2 On Your Side before rushing off to restock the bread. He said there was a line of customers before the store opened and that overall everyone had been very nice.
Dellarosa said she was grateful for the workers who made the store reopening possible... and the steak they were able to find for dinner.
“We're getting milk for our neighbors who couldn’t get out… there's a whole feeling of teamwork out here and people saying hi to each other and everyone is in a great mood,” she added.
A Tops Markets spokesperson told 2 On Your Side that while they are experiencing shortages in some stores, their Lancaster warehouse has reopened and is making deliveries.
The spokesperson added that weather delays not only restricted deliveries to stores but also its warehouse which could mean an extra 1-2 days before things get back on schedule. The reopening of the Thruway to food delivery trucks will also help stores get back on track.
As for Wegmans, they announced Tuesday evening that all of their locations in Erie and Niagara County will reopen Wednesday at 7:00 a.m.
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