Toilet paper, antibacterial, meats: Grand Strand grocery stores hope to restock soon amid COVID-19
Panic erupting from confirmed cases of coronavirus along the Grand Strand has left shelves carrying essential items bare at several area grocery stores.
Horry County announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19, or coronavirus on Sunday, with the number growing to four as of Monday night. Currently, there’s been one coronavirus-related death in the state, prompting event closures and calls for quarantining along the Grand Strand.
The City of Myrtle Beach, Horry County, Surfside Beach, Conway and North Myrtle Beach have also issued emergency declarations, resulting in residents scrambling to the stores to fill up their carts with toilet paper, bread, milk, meat, disinfectants and other items, leaving empty shelves throughout the stores awaiting to be restocked.
The urgency to shop, however, has resulted in both national and independent grocers in Horry County to place limitations on how much can be purchased at one time. As regular shipments continue to arrive, customers are encouraged not to panic and to be cognizant of others who may also need those same supplies.
“People seem to be hoarding a little bit more and getting bigger quantities that aren’t necessary. We encourage you to get what you need but don’t over do it,” said Anna Bowers, communications director of Boulineau’s Food Supply. “You don’t need 20 cases of sanitation wipes, it’s just not necessary, and we are seeing that more now than we would in a hurricane situation.”
Currently, stores including Publix, Lowes Foods, Walmart, Fresh Market and Food Lion, stocks are depleted of items such as toilet paper, sanitizer, disinfectants, bread, milk, eggs, baby wipes, face masks, canned foods, rice and some frozen foods and meat products.
In supply are fresh fruits and vegetables, cereal, snack items, baby diapers, medicine, some cleaning products, home care supplies, pet food, some dairy products, paper products, soda, beer and wine. Item quantity may vary in different stores and locations.
While Boulineau’s is pretty well-stocked compared to national chains in the Myrtle Beach area, Bowers said the store has been out of toilet paper since Monday. With a shipment expected Wednesday, she’s unsure if the toilet paper will be delivered with suppliers running thin on merchandise.
But with this health epidemic leaving many to wonder what the long-term repercussions will be, Bowers said the North Myrtle Beach grocery store is handling the situation day-by-day, while also placing rigorous cleaning protocols in place. You do the best you can, she said, while also encouraging shoppers to arrive early in the morning to gather what they need.
“None of us have ever dealt with this before, so we’re really trying to figure this out as we go,” Bowers said. “There’s no precedent for this.”
With Bowers assuring Boulineau’s will continue to remain open and hopes to continually receive shipments from their suppliers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Thad Griffin, owner of IGA in Longs, said he fears his store might have to close in time as stocks begin to dwindle with customers purchasing large quantities of items.
IGA, along with national retailers, has also placed a two item per person limit on toilet paper, cleaning products and sanitation items. Griffin encouraged customers to simply buy what they need instead purchasing for a long period for the sake of his business and other clientele.
“If people keep panic buying then it will dwindle and the time for us to be open will shrink some just because we don’t have merchandise to sell,” he said. “If people would not panic and just buy whatever their needs are for a week rather than a month, then maybe we will sustain. But I don’t know what the future is going to hold.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 3:47 PM.
