This morning, CNN Headline News viewers got a look at the coronavirus crisis from inside a New York supermarket.
Avi Kaner — known locally as a former Board of Finance chair and 2nd selectman — is co-owner of Morton Williams, the 16-store New York chain.
Speaking in front of an Upper West Side shelf stripped of toilet paper, he described the last 10 days as “very intense.” Yesterday, Morton Williams had a near-400% increase in sales.
However, Kaner said, customers — in lines all the way to the back of the store –were “resilient, polite, and disciplined.”
While Morton Williams is not rationing any goods, some distributors are.
Kaner’s 2 biggest concerns are the supply chain, and transportation. He worries that employees might not be able to get to work.
For the full interview, click below.
Not to worry people, it’s just “panic” buying.
Human nature at it’s best.
I went out yesterday, near Houston TX. just to buy two ingredients I needed for a recipe. One was Lentils. I was shocked at the bare shelves. The only lentils I could buy were organic red and there were only two packages of those left. With that experience in mind we went out early this morning for a regular weekly food shopping trip. Lots of items were gone. We waited in line for 45 minutes to pay. People were orderly, quiet , and polite. Both days shopping carts were in short supply and the parking lots were packed.
What I witnessed at my local Stop & Shop today was more than panic buying. It was just plain greed. What if you know a senior citizen who can’t afford to horde cases of water or toilet paper, or someone else on a limited budget? I guess it’s the survival of the fittest these days, everyone out for themselves. The Shop rite in Norwalk is limiting customers to 4 high demand items like toilet paper and water. I read that Stop & Shop is going to start limiting hand sanitizer to 5 per customer when and if they restock. Please share your stash of supplies with a senior citizen or someone who needs it . Let’s help each other. And be wise and sanitize😀
Well, Mr. Kaner SHOULD ration the toilet paper at his wife’s family’s supermarkets. The idea of hoarding T.P. is so dumb (and inconvenient to the people who actually need it) that someone should at least shame the idiots succumbing to herd mentality.
Oh, brother….Since we’re actually running out of our preferred Kirkland brand t.p., I picked up a “6 pack” of another brand at our local South Florida CVS (limit 1per customer). I was embarrassed and found myself muttering “Not hoarding…really…not hoarding” as I made my way out of the store.