I’m-workin’-on-it – at 22:16
Well, we were at Sam’s Club today. Mid-morning, no ball games on, beautiful day, rain not keeping people away & I only saw one man with something like 32 cases of small cans of dogfood leaving the building. The shelves were FULL of prep stuff here and there, but NONE of it was being chosen, purchased & lovingly hauled off to a prep closet — it was all sitting there in the store being totally IGNORED!
So disappointing. There were lot of people shopping, but they were getting TV’s and stacking chairs and copy paper & Christmas decorations, but NOT PREPS.
At my bigbox Econo store, I saw someone with 5 bags of 50 pound rice and someone else fill their pickup truck with nothing but bottled water. No sign of empty shelves though.
I went to wallyworld again today for the second time in my life.
They were playing a “ready.gov” PSA on all of the screens around the store.
They also had a decent sale on shotgun ammo.
Was interesting to note that there was an entire aisle of prep items under a poster of the ready.gov website.
Interesting trip to Costco’s today. Noticed (for the first time) MRE’s box of 12 (self heating kind) for 56.00. They were stocked with the 50lb. flour/rices. Maybe always there, but I’ve not noticed this before. Also, got hi-jacked at check out, with a price gun slinging associate who asked my husband & I to report to the customer service counter before leaving. Now granted, this was a “big” buy (the type that requires the “flat bed carts”, and we did have small camouflage scout trailer in tow…but…how could they know? I honestly thought we were going to be scolded for buying too much bottled water & 52lb dog food (what a great price, by the way). And as I ever so slowly pushed my cart (never attempt to get somewhere quickly with a heavy cart in a crowded store-inevitably, a small child or elderly person will walk in front of you, and you will rupture a disk to stop the darn thing) to the customer desk. Fully expecting to come clean about my pandmic prepping and advising them to make sure they had ample supply in the future, I was a little taken-aback when they asked me if I was going to continue to shop as I have in the last several trips (amazing, they had my spending history at their finger tips) BECAUSE, if so…. I should immediately up-grade my membership (double my normal cost). After a chuckle, I declined after realizing how much I would have to spend in a year to re-coup this price, and informed them that NO, I only intended to raid their stocks 1–2 more times in the next month (fair warning), but probably wouldn’t be shopping with them for many, many months. I think the woman behind the counter gave me a dumber/blanker look than I normally get when trying to get someone else to prep. I just smiled, held up the departure line (where they check purchases before exiting) and preceeded to load the trailer. Very sorry to report, I did not see a single person buying more than what looked like normal groceries for a few days. Hitting Wallyworld tomorrow for more ammo, crank radio hope they carry these), fishing hooks.
They have stopped me at costco before with that speech as well. I say, ‘no thanks, we’ve just made some unusual purchases this past year’, which is true, and walk away.
Over the past year I’ve not really seen more than one or two who look as if they remotely might be prepping. Except for a couple months last year, our cart doesnt often look as if we’re prepping either. Maybe some odd buying here and there, but, hey, we could just be eccentric. :-)
Anyone know if Costco will give someone a free 1-Day Guest Pass ?? I’m in MO; almost at prep capacity ( house-wise ) ; but would like to snag the remaining things at a Costco if I can.
Madamspinner - If you have a BJ’s near you, they are advertising in my area that you can get a free one-day trial pass - you can probably get them to do the same for you whereever you are. I found the pricing between Costco & BJ’s to be within a few cents of each other in my area. Types of items stocked are also very similar (geared towards residential customers) whereas Sam’s is geared towards small businesses.
I think if you ask at rhe door, they’ll give you a pass.
Sam’s gives a pass & if you buy stuff, you pay a 10% fee.
oh & make certain you know what payments they take—call ‘wm first.
The free passes at warehouse stores generally allow you to shop there, but you have to pay 5% extra (i.e. you don’t get the “discount” that you get when you pay your membershipfee. Just FYI!
ACM, I read on the Sam’s pass I used yesterday, that you must pay 10% AND that you couldn’t use a WalMart Mastercard!!! Guess they don’t trust the folks they issue those to, to pay their debts fully or something — if someone bankrupted them, they’d get hit with a double wammy — from the Walmart side of debts being wiped out and from the Sam’s side too.
Our local Sam’s Club does not accept credit cards at all; they do accept debit cards. I just presumed that was to preclude having to pay the merchant fee (3%?) for the credit card sale. My VISA card can function as a credit or debit card and I just use it as a debit card when we shop at Sam’s Club.
Thanks for all the good info. I’ll stop in there on pay day and see if they’ll “take” my money.
Lo, the pandemic is nigh! Wally World is out of instant grits. Not one instant grit on the shelf, and this is in Central Florida. Most of the instant oatmeal was gone too.
Only a few small cans of olives, no small concentrated bottles of laundry soap. No big bags of rice or beans. No big bags of pasta. In short- all the good, cheap stuff had been snatched. Truthfully, I’m glad, because I believe this means that people are prepping.
I stopped by WalMart briefly last night so I went to go peek at the lantern section again. I was surprised by what *was* on the shelves…multiple Brinkmann solar lanterns. This particular store had never stocked them, and then put a few out in the last couple of weeks, and this time had a decent stock of them.
I didn’t have the $ to pick one up (sigh) but was intrigued by it as I really have no doubt that FluWikians have impacted WM’s stocking habits on this item (and surely given Brinkmann an interesting spike in their sales, lol). Makes me wonder what other subtle (or not so subtle) ways FW’s collective buying habits have changed their stock, even above and beyond their own plans and scenarios.
I noticed the exact opposite of empty shelves when shopping yesterday. The grocery store I go to has gradually been adding stockpile items, placing them in better view, etc. Well, they’ve apparently hit their stride. As soon as you walked in the door yesterday there were pallet upon pallet of Libby’s canned vegetables on sale 4/$1. Then right next to that were pallet upon pallet of 3 quart bottles (a very weird size that they have never stocked) of Poland Spring water on sale 10/$10. And then just about every endcap was fully stocked with prep items such as roast beef hash (which as far as I know only warranted two rows 10 cans deep on a single shelf for as long as I can remember). You could barely move in the store as, on top of amply stocked shelves, they were actively restocking like madmen. This together with the fact that our only statewide news station has been running pandemic education stories every other day for about three weeks has me pretty intrigued. Not sure if I’m happy they are getting their acts together or worried that they know something we don’t! I’ll choose to be happy. ;)
As a sidenote, my DH, who thinks all the theorizing about retail merchandising as pandemic indicator is crazy even said himself yesterday that obviously the store was stocking for pandemic.
Hey Cabingirl,
I got this crank radio/light/siren/weather radio/cell phone charger from JC Penney (It works well):
In case the link doesn’t work:
Go to www.jcpenney.com and search under Red Cross Emergency Radio.
Yikes!!!
It’s a good thing I have double monitors for this thread. Jeez!
I just got back from Sams. Just a note to check your Sams card. Mine is wearing out to the point that I need to get a new one.They were having a hard time reading it.
SIDE SCROLL
Edna Mode: I’m curious — which state are you in, and in what store did you notice the prep changes? (I’m still intrigued by Monotreme’s “city triage” theory. No prep/flu news stories here in the _Detroit_ area, that’s for sure.)
Prepperbabe, I’m in Central Florida too. Noticed the same thing at Wally World on East Colonial this weekend. Sounds like, from the reports of so many others, that WalMart has stepped it up a bit this past week. Not sure about Publix though.
Northstar – at 15:43
I’m in NH, and I was speaking of Shaw’s.
I missed Monotrem’s “city triage” theory. Can you summarize it for me?
triage (cities, or people) Resources are limited, so some you can save some you cannot. You expend your resources and effort to those that are “saveable” and were your efforts will the best chance of success. at least that is the simplified version of what I understand.
prepperbabe – at 10:52 Truthfully, I’m glad, because I believe this means that people are prepping.
Edna Mode – at 12:37 Not sure if I’m happy they are getting their acts together or worried that they know something we don’t! I’ll choose to be happy. ;)
Good news, good attitude!
DennisC – at 17:21
Thanks, DennisC. I understand triage. Do it every day to keep as many balls in the air as possible! ;) What I’m specifically curious about is Monotreme’s theory of triage cities. I’m sure I can guess at it, but Monotreme? You there? It would make sense that where I live would be a triage city as it is centrally located and the seat of state government.
A CVS in Southern Maryland — end cap had N-95 masks, disposable gloves, hand sanitizer, hand soap, a couple of lysol spray products, and a couple of clorox spray products, and a homeopathic flu remedy. When I got there there were 4 packets of masks (2 per packet), 2 boxes of disposable gloves, 3 hand sanitizers, 4 hand soaps, 3 lysol spray products, and 2 clorox spray products. When I left there was 1 packet of masks, 1 box of gloves, 1 lysol spray product and 2 clorox pray products, 1 hand soap, and 1 handsanitizer.
Today at a grocery store in my city, the rice shelf was severely depleted (I am talking both big and small bags here) and there were big gaps on other major prep item shelves. Seemed odd for a Monday afternoon.
We have all heard various urban legends. I believe news about pandemic flu is spreading like an urban legend, and is building up momentum. Pandemic flu is no urban legend, it is the stuff legends are made of, like the Black Death.
Let us be glad the news is spreading, however it spreads.
Edna Mode: His theory is that in the event of severe pandemic, TPTB recognize resources will be so limited that there is already a “short list” of salvagable cities where those resources will be concentrated; others have already been written off as hopeless. He’s suggested that you can tell which list yours is on by the amount of prep/flu information being disseminated. Good news: you’re getting a lot of info. Bad news: I’m not. Uh-oh. ;-) (Not that I would be the least bit surprised that “Detroit” might be the no-brainer, very top of list “B”.)
Now I’m trying to remember which thread series this is on… blast. Can’t do it.
Northstar – at 20:57
August 5th 20:11 A Current Threat Assessment II
Thanks Northstar and Oremus.
I was in the Orem, Utah Walmart and Costco today. In Walmart there were NO visible signs that they had even heard of “pandemic flu.” Costco, however, was a different story. Near the front of the store several different vendors were set up with big signs about Emergency Food Supply and pandemic flu. One was selling big buckets containing 275 individual servings of various types of dehydrated food. Their sales brochure highlighted a few details about the potential pandemic and also gave info about the importance of storing water, fuel, etc. Another vendor was selling buckets of hard, white wheat and other grains, while another was selling special shelves for canned goods that make it easy to rotate one’s food storage. None of the vendors had very many people interested in their products when I was there. I was happy to see them, though, because I’ve heard NOTHING about the pandemic in our local news. (I was also very happy to see Dr. Webster’s article in AARP today. Now maybe I can regain a little of my credibility with friends & family!! Or not.)
Edna Mode
My City Triage Speculation is pretty well explained by Northstar. The basic idea is that there is not enough food, PPE and Tamiflu for everyone. We all know this. If you spread it evenly across the country, it will do little good in a very severe pandemic. Hospitals will still go down, most people will still go hungry and all the cities will burn. However, some cities, for a variety of reasons which Okieman and I have discussed, have certain advantages: relatively low population density, ready access to food and water, strategic imporatance, and separation from the megacities. If supplies were concentrated in these cities, they could be saved even if a very severe pandemic occurs. Here is a satire illustrating the idea Survival of the Preppiest or Do You Feel Lucky?
We all have all noticed that some cities are preparing very seriously while others, like New York City, are doing absolutely nothing. My really wild speculation is that the cities that are doing nothing have already been written off as unsaveable. The cities that advise stockpiling for a month or more, provide detailed lists of what to buy, providing prep supplies in easily accessible formats and show other signs of serious prepping are among the chosen few for survival. Fort Wayne Indiana probably heads this list.
Whether my speculation is correct or not, the result may be the same. There are limited supplies. That’s a fact. Cities that encourage their citizens to prep now, while supplies are plentiful will have a much better chance at survival than cities that wait too long. Fort Wayne is really pushing prepping hard. If it works, a very high percent of their citizens will be able to SIP. Other cities are starting to do the same. How long before there are strains on the supply chain? What if the pandemic occurs after some cities are fully prepped and others are waiting to be re-supplied?
As I’ve said before, even in a very severe pandemic, some cities will survive relatively intact. It is getting easier and easier to pick the winners - and the losers.
Well, Monotreme, that’s a very interesting theory, and one that I don’t find too far fetched. The area I live in fits your description within reason, although I don’t know how strategically located it is. About an hour outside of Boston (this actually seems really close to me). Easy access to major river and lakes. Reasonable level of seasonal agriculture. Two (that I know of) major grocery distribution centers within 15 minutes. Large healthcare campus with high HCW:Everyman ratio. And, interestingly, our dear, dear governor (who today was described by EJ Dionne as “The Anti-Bush”) and his physician wife is building a 12,000 s.f. house with five fireplaces atop a remote country hill with its own fruit orchard and water source that is accessible from only two little roads (i.e., easy to secure). He was raked over the coals for a while by people complaining about his conspicuous consumerism. This guy is so not about that, that my first thought was that he’s building a headquarters where he can house key staff to maintain continuity. But then I thought, “Nah, that’s too X-Files. He’s just enjoying the fruits of his labors.” I guess only time will tell.
I’m not totally convinced that we are being targeted for resources. Everyone in government, sadly, is still saying, “Two weeks. Two weeks.” I’m trying to change that, but it’s an uphill battle.
Anbody have a compiled list to date of the postulated salvageable ?
I don’t think anything near me is on the triage list.
NLOL
Empty Shelves
Nothing worse than going to the grocery store, getting your favorite items, and you find “empty shelves”
Bird Guano – at 23:51 Anbody have a compiled list to date of the postulated salvageable ? I don’t think anything near me is on the triage list. NLOL
I think I’d start the list with the places where the media is seriously reporting “get ready”. The ones I think of are from reading here or the news. These include: Seattle, Ft. Wayne, Johnson County Texas. There’s another one but can’t remember this early in the am. These locations have DOH that are pushing it. Media that are covering the push with more than one article, and local businesses are involved by DOH to push preparedness. And they are saying more than 3 days. They are saying “at least…” two weeks or more. Goju may get CT area on the list. Ft. Wayne updates their website constantly. It changed from Sunday to Monday. Another powerpoint on care at home added. They have posters from the state that you can print out (IN stuff sponsoring at the bottom) that anyone could use. As always, it what they do, not what they say. Any other additions to the list? Are we all moving?
Ya’ll excuse me, but triage and powerpoints don’t correspond with empty shelves….it would be interesting if you’d start a thread on triage (I’d like to see that), but please “get it off our shelves” (thread)!
I’m-workin’-on-it – at 08:25 Ya’ll excuse me, but triage and powerpoints don’t correspond with empty shelves
IWOI, I think what people are doing is drawing (or discussing whether there is) a correlation between empty shelves and communities with loud public prep messaging. The two may very well correspond.
I haven’t been on this thread a lot. What was the original intent? I thought it was retail merchandising as a pandemic indicator/measure of the pulse of TPTB.
I’m-workin’-on-it
I half agree with you and half don’t. Some people on this thread have noticed serious signs of prepping and some observe no signs at all. My suspicion is that there is a pattern. Places where TPTB are seriously getting ready may be sending a strong signal to prep for SIP whereas places where TPTB, for whatever reason, are not doing any real planning for a pandemic have not sent any signal, to the citizens or the grocery stores, to prepare for SIP. It would be helpful if people who post on this thread were to post where they are observing the shelves. If they don’t feel comfortable metioning the City, perhaps state or region (Northeast, Soutwest, etc.).
I may start a thread on Triage at the City level later today.
anonymous – at 08:51
That was me. Sorry.
Nyquil and cold remedies were wiped out at my local drugstore yesterday. They had practically nothing in stock.
Ok, back to the original intent….I shopped Target today & saw gaps in the groceries here and there. I did NOT pick up a flyer to see what was on sale.
ALL the Bisquick was gone except the little 20- oz boxes — so I bought 3.
The string chees section was totally empty except for a few packages hanging here and there!
And the Velveeta cheese in SMALL sizes was totally wiped out-I learned something though, Velveeta comes in single slices. I guess I need to get out more. The Velveeta in large boxes was still relatively full.
Lots of holes in the paper towels stacks, and the toilet paper stacks. No pun intended.
Things I found that were full shelves were: soups, crackers, rice, pastas, cleansers, kleenex, and canned meats.
Went to Wal-mart today-they had a makeshift island of prep items but no sign or anything. You would not know it WAS prep items except for the radios that had “Family Prepardness” on their packaging, and if you didn’t know what you were looking for-a couple of boxes of tin foil, some white buckets, (no lids) the emergency radios, flashlights and some canned goods. I was in this same store last week and this “display” looks like it hasn’t been touched. It looks to me like headquarters somewhere said “do an emergency prepardness isle” and this store threw this together. I didn’t see any shoppers that looked like they were doing any kind of prepping at all- of course this was a weekday morning-not tons of people.
On the other hand, I’m hearing lots of ads/info about flu shots. Krogers, K-mart, Rite-aide are all advertising flu shots
Dollar Store
When I told the clerk I had purchased the last bag of clothes pins she said she had just restocked a lot the day before.
Just a retail news hound at work…LOL
No name, that’s really odd to run out of clothes pins! WOW! Someone may be preparing for work after a pandemic, like being the laundry queen of the neighborhood!
no name Seems like Clothes pins are just hard to find in this day of electric dryers. But OK walmart has plenty of them. I bought a bag and a heavu duty clothes line cord- just in case- could always string it up between trees in the back yard. - also got tree hooks!
I’m not seeing any prep stuff at my wally world, or at k-mart, or at any of the grocery stores. Up on hearing that some wal-mart stores are selling prepping items, it makes me wonder if these states are the ones that have prepardness plans for more complete than other states.
cottontop - makes you wonder about Monotreme’s triage theory, eh? :(
Our WalMart here has end-caps & mid-aisle displays of Mucinex, sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, metal flip-top trashcans, water, flashlights, lamp oil (huge end cap of lamp oil) and such. They also rearranged the pharmacy section to make a stand-alone area that’s all flu treatments, homeopathic & allopathic. The gloves & masks are very low-key, though.
Similar set-ups at the big grocery store, Walgreens, etc. Target has an emergency prep display with gloves, sanitizer, special First Aid kits, and so forth, too.
Petticoat Junction-
man, our walmart here in upstate n.y. has none of that. The end caps, and such, have the usual household stuff. nothing that makes me think of prepping. It must be a conspiracy. (teasing) . They do have more than usual flu related items.
We were at Sam’s Club yesterday and noticed an “extra” display of the cold/flu relief medicine “Airborne.” No empty shelves noted anywhere in the store. The lines at checkout were very long — longer than I have ever seen them — but other shoppers’ baskets did not appear to contain any (obvious) prep-related purchases.
I am prepped for almost a year I hope and I have never bought more than 2 of any one item at the same time. I don’t want to call attention to myself. Even though you may not see carts full of rice and beans it doesn’t mean we’re not prepping … it just means we make several trips for those supplies.
Note when buying emergency radios, make sure they get shortwave ! As it may be the only source of news!
PBQ – at 09:07 you’re right — that’s pretty much what I do, unless I get a “wild hair” as older folks used to say, and buy a bunch of one thing for some reason. Mostly I get 2 each of different flavored soups, or 2 boxes of detergent or two tubes of toothpaste, etc. and it’s built up over time!
I have not noticed a lot of empty shelves, but I am finding when I shop at least one thing I want is out, everytime. Yesterday I went to Walgreens for dental floss and Citrucel they were out, of both and I am starting to notice this more often. I would say this is a just in time delivery problem. I was thinking if I lived out and had to drive say 20 miles to a store this would be a real problem.
Albertsons is out of most of its leaders this week. They included things like Uncle Ben’s ready rice (already cooked and delish), 20 for $10 veggies. I am also finding everyone is keeping canning jars in stock (never found them in Oct before). Fred Meyers has lots of empty shelves. Got to go to the store the day the sale starts. I get my flyers at 1 and have to get to the store by five or stuff is gone.
(to Edna Mode – at 22:22 - Well, dang! He could have at least told the public to stock up. State of Massconfusion, indeed.)
Are y’all handing Pandemic Awareness Cards to grocery store managers? Can be interesting to see the looks on their faces, as you ‘splain it to them, and then, if you’re lucky, they run off looking for an internet connection.
;-)
(Monotreme, what about when “it” is only “lovingly hauled off” to pile up on the floors?) “My”(-gack!-) “govenor” built a bug-out place?? Grrr.
Our Wallyworld is trying to spruce itself up a bit - paint, moving stuff around, etc. I still hate the place, but there are certain things you can only get there and/or at a great price. But they completely SHRUNK the camping section. I asked someone there if that was just because it’s out of season now but they said no - they’re already packed in there like sardines (it’s an older store) and because a new mega-sports store opened nearby they would be downsizing. They didn’t even have any more 5gal collapsibles, and that was the best palce to get them!.
Well stores must think that the number one prep item is CANDY because they put a whole bunch of it right up front and on the endcaps :)
But seriously, there might be some sales come November assuming you have a cool storage spot and the will power to store it.
Was near (or in?) Manassas, VA last night at the Super Target on Rt. 29. This is a Target w/ a grocery store. They were nearly out of rice! Beans were very picked over and there were a lot of gaps in the cooking oil section.
Libbyalex: The Costco in Fredericksburg carries these huge 25lb bags of rice. They look like they should have “UN” stamped on the side of them. I found it odd that they had about 8 pallets of them when I was in there a few weeks ago. I thought of grabbing a few but don’t want to get stuck eating rice for the next 2 years.
crfullmoon — re your governor and the bug out place — I am looking to confirm this — was it you who wrote about the Mass. Governor building a big house w/wood burning stoves? Am trying to find the referece (or news report_ thanks if you can help!)
The Super Walmart 15 miles from my house has lots of empty shelves in the food dept. Not just in time ordering shortages. Canned goods down. That makes three stores within 15 miles with low inventory. Gonna go to Costco thrus or fri. I will report back then.
Went to our Walmart last weekend for the 40oz. hand sanitizer and there was nothing. I was surprised to find masks and gloves (bought some gloves) in the cold and flu area. In fairness, I’ve never looked for them before-maybe they have always carried them.
Average Concerned Mom, I think I saw Edna Mode say that, at 22:22 (if outside of Boston doesn’t mean in MA - my bad)-so, I guess it seemd a very plausible rumor to me- I haven’t a link for it, but, I may not have been searching for how the news phrased it. I already knew Dr.Osterholm has a safer house for his family, but, he’s had the goodness to clearly warn eveyone for ages, unlike our state and local politicians and officials.
Keep telling as many people as you feel comfortable that they need to be getting prepared.