Midlands stores busy as people prepare for Hurricane Matthew

For Carolyn Jones, stocking up for Hurricane Matthew was prudent on Wednesday morning, as her children and grandchildren were coming up from the coast to stay with her.

But unlike some customers at the Piggly Wiggly grocery store on Devine Street, her cart had a only a few staples such as cereal and milk, not a large stockpile of bread and water that is typical before a major storm.

“I wanted to get a little extra, but not go crazy,” the former University of South Carolina administrator said. “I remember last year’s flood, and I want to be respectful of other people’s needs too.”

Gas stations, convenience stores and hotels all were doing a bustling business on Wednesday as Columbia residents piled in supplies in preparation for shortages, power outages or guests. Meanwhile, evacuees from the coast snapped up every available hotel room.

The run on grocery stores began at noon yesterday, store owner Darrell Miller said. And when Gov. Nikki Haley ordered evacuations beginning Wednesday, the deluge began.

“By midafternoon, people were buying strong,” he said.

Miller said the store plans to get delivery trucks in Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in preparation for the the rocky weather and the influx of evacuees from the coast.

“We’ve got our supply lines open,” he said, standing in front of the decimated bread aisle. “We should be fine tomorrow.”

Irmo Town Councilwoman Kathy Condom spent an hour waiting to park at a local supermarket in order to stock up on food that doesn’t need to be heated should power go out in the storm.

But inside the store she found “a very congenial attitude” as shoppers shared cartons of eggs and other items in short supply.

“It was terrible, but wonderful, at the same time,” she said.

Denise Cooper, manager of the Family Dollar store on Rosewood Drive, said customers began coming in about 2 p.m. Tuesday, wiping out her inventory of water, flashlights and batteries.

“We’re hoping to get more on Friday,” she said. “If the truck can get here.”

Local hotels were already filled for a big football weekend as the Gamecocks are scheduled to play the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium. No decision had been made Wednesday evening about whether the game would be postponed or moved because of Hurricane Matthew.

David Erbacher, director of sales for the Hyatt Place Columbia Downtown on Gervais Street in the Vista, said football cancellations are rolling in and bookings from people evacuating the coast are beginning to snap up the rooms.

Rates are typically high on football weekends. Currently, the rates are $229 Wednesday and Thursday and $399 Friday and Saturday.

But Erbacher said the hotel is lowering the weekend rate for everyone to $229.

“We won’t know who is coming in for the football game and who is evacuating,” he said. “So we’re lowering it for everyone just to be accommodating and do our part.”

He added the hotel will also be refunding all cancellations, despite requiring pre-payment on football weekends.

At the Inn at USC – a hotel located on campus – general manager Andrew Lucas said cancellations have yet to come in.

“We’re sold out and people are waiting to see what happens with the game,” he said. “But our phone is ringing off the hook.”

Lucas advised those wanting to book a room to go to the property’s or company’s website rather than a booking clearinghouse site because rates will likely be volatile.

Haley on Wednesday night said most hotels across the state are full. She said the state is not seeing any signs of price gouging on either gas sales or hotel rooms.

At the BP gas station on Bluff Road just steps from William-Brice Stadium, owner John Newman watched as cars rolling steadily into all of his bays filled up their tanks.

“It’s been busy,” he said. “But we haven’t had any trouble getting gas.”

This story was originally published October 5, 2016 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Midlands stores busy as people prepare for Hurricane Matthew."