STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Shoppers are rushing to stores on Staten Island for last minute necessities in anticipation of a major snowstorm this weekend.
Demand for storm supplies has been booming in recent days at the Lowe’s Home Improvement store on Forest Avenue in Mariners Harbor.
“It’s been really, really busy,” Jose Florimon, an assistant manager at Lowe’s, said on Friday morning. “Traffic has picked up as of past two, three days due to the weather.”
People are stocking up on “all of the essentials,” the manager said.
Lowe’s in Mariners Harbor had shovels and snowblowers in stock as of Friday morning, but temporarily was out of salt.
“We were fully in stock yesterday,” Florimon said, referring to salt. “We’re currently waiting for a delivery, but as you know, with the storm coming, everyone is going crazy.”
The manager said salt likely would be back on store shelves either later on Friday or Saturday.
Shoppers also are preparing by purchasing bottled water, fuel for generators and wiper fluid for cars.
Business appeared to be brisk at the ShopRite at 985 Richmond Ave. in Graniteville on Friday morning.
Necessities such as bread, milk and eggs appeared to be selling quickly based on partially empty shelves
Shopper Lawrence Scott of West Brighton said, “Milk seems kind of scarce.”
He added that “people seem like they’re hunkering down for this storm.”
As she headed into ShopRite on Friday morning, Kristine Van Manen of Bulls Head said she wasn’t stocking up on anything special to weather the storm.
“I just don’t want to go out when it’s snowing,” she said.
Staten Islanders are stocking up on necessities in preparation for this weekend’s snowstorm. Some shelves are almost empty in the dairy section at ShopRite on Richmond Avenue in Graniteville on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
Staten Islanders are stocking up on necessities in preparation for this weekend’s snowstorm. Eggs are in short supply at the ShopRite on Richmond Avenue in Graniteville on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
Staten Islanders are stocking up on bread and other necessities in preparation for this weekend’s snowstorm. This photo was taken at ShopRite on Richmond Avenue in Graniteville on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
Staten Islanders are stocking up on necessities at Lowe’s Home Improvement store in preparation for this weekend’s snowstorm. A shelf normally stocked with salt is empty on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)
Staten Islanders are stocking up on necessities in preparation for this weekend’s snowstorm. Home Depot on Forest Avenue in Mariners Harbor has plenty of shovels available on the morning of Friday, Jan 23, 2026.(Advance/SILive.com | Jan Somma-Hammel)