Shelves at Costco, Target, Walmart, etc. lately?

[birdmove]

It was clean sailing all the way

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[mermaid53]

I think timing is everything. Our shopping trip to Target and Safeway was mellow yesterday morning. There were only a few people with masks and everyone kept their distance. It wasn't crowded at all. There was plenty of TP and other paper products. The other item that was hard to find was Vit C tabs. I got the last bottle at Longs.

At Target there was a used bandana laying on the floor in one of the back aisles. Everyone looked down at it in disgust, and carefully maneuvered around it. An employee kicked it down the aisle into a corner until it could be disposed.

[TomK]

Had to go out today for more supplies and went to KTA in Hilo. They seem well-stocked but were limiting the number of people in the store. Basically, they closed the secondary entrance so everyone had to line up by the main entrance and then you were let in one by one as people came out. The line was small and it worked well other than some in the line not keeping their distance from others.

[terracore]

Went to Longs in Pahoa today. Good sale on flour. I didn't visit the whole store, just got the stuff we needed and got out. All the checkout lanes were open, which was nice not just for speed but maintaining the 6 foot rule. All their "fresh" stuff; cheese, produce, etc was cleaned out. The cleaning products section was bare too. Most of the gardening stuff was gone. I didn't visit the paper products aisle.

ETA: It was really busy.

[bystander]

I heard this on FB so the veracity is questionable. Benefits from EBT will be given out on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th of April so anything left over from the recent panic buying will be gone.

[ironyak]

Just a quick rundown from my once-every-two-weeks restocking run.

Walmart was pretty well stocked - plenty bleach, pasta, ramen, soup, cereal, & animal feed. Low on toilet paper, large puzzles (special request), no margarine at all, still no isopropyl, but had hydrogen peroxide. Sign says they request customers only buy 1, but given they have been out of stock for over a month, I tried to get 2. Associate manning self-check out said nope - 1 only, now enforced. I guess they've dropped the "we're not Target" laissez-faire motto. Fair number of masks seen (maybe 1 in 8 people, mostly cloth/homemade, some surgical, few N95s)

Target was a bit more cleared out - got one of the last puzzles, low on cereals (8 max per purchase), no soup, no pasta, no rice. Also no margarine at all - just butter, but plenty dairy of all types. Also good stock & deals on fresh fruits & vegetables. Line checkout was organized to keep people 6ft+ apart. Fewer masks but more high end models such as N95s with exhalation valves.

Quick run into Safeway found some of the last margarine on the block, very few people, very few masks. Didn't do much checking, but heard someone complaining to the butcher about the lack of fresh crab (apparently an essential item for them today).

Overall, more people using PPE and clearly making an effort to keep a safe distance than before; many others still hugging and kissing to counter those efforts. Oh well, cosmic balance, Post tenebras spero lucem, or something - wait and see what Easter shopping brings.

[EightFingers]

Maybe Easter ham is out of the question?

Puna: Our roosters crow first

[1voyager1]

@i-y
I was thinking about doing some shopping in the next few days.
Now I'm thinking I'll hold off for a while longer yet.
What with communal infections climbing up, I will start wearing a mask when in public.

quote:

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... heard someone complaining to the butcher about the lack of fresh crab ...

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Was looking at red king crab at Safeway the last time I was in.
I spent too much time in Dutch Harbor.
I cannot abide the $30/lb they wanted for it.
I really wanted some, but decided to pass.

How about farmer's markets, Nanawale, Kea'au, etc?
Are any still operating?

[leilanidude]

You had better go today or tomorrow - the 3rd is when half the SNAP folks get paid and the 5th is the other half of them. Stores will be crowded.

[ironyak]

1v1 - I've been wearing my N95s while running all public errands for over a month now. Ahead of the curve? The many stares early on would suggest so, but it's better than being behind it and helps move that social norm towards more common acceptance. Of course when those changes occur, and I'm just part of the herd, it'll be time to bust out the cartridge respirator to stay edgy (lava tour '18 represent

The little Keeau farmers market was still running when I went at the end of last week - unless someone has new info, it should still be open. And yeah I'd make a food run before the EBT crowds descend en masse.

I'm still making plans for Easter but my household is large enough to tackle a ham (already available just no room in fridge) without any other physical invitees (plans for Skype / Zoom with friends & family) Like Cuomo said with his Sunday spaghetti and meatballs, family routines and celebrations are important, no reason to go without when simple accommodations allow for still sharing this time together.