Will Greenville grocery stores close or have limited hours during the winter storm? What we found

Upstate grocers are waiting and watching to see how bad the ice storm will beat up South Carolina.

Some have generators but wonder whether their employees will be able to get to work.

“Depends on if the guy with the key can get here,” one said Friday.

Others that lose power will not be able to open and hope they don’t lose cold and frozen foods.

Publix has not let stores know the plan yet, but the store in downtown Greenville has a generator.

Fresh Market on Pleasantburg folks said they don’t have a generator, so everything depends on the weather and the power lines.

Harris Teeter has a generator for all the stores in the area so whoever needs it gets it.

Whole Foods on Woodruff Road hadn’t made a decision on opening as of Friday afternoon. Like everyone, watching and waiting.

The National Weather Service expects icy conditions to begin sometime Saturday afternoon, making roadways “treacherous and impassable.” Ice accumulation will continue Saturday afternoon and evening and then increase rapidly on Sunday before tapering off early Monday morning.

“Travel is strongly discouraged,” the Weather Service said. “Commerce will likely be severely impacted.”

Across Facebook, people are posting about what stores have bread and posting photos of bare shelves. Others put out pleas for propane or generators.

One person said they just wanted to make chili beans and broccoli and cheddar soup and asked if anyone was hoarding those ingredients.

As of Friday afternoon, someone reported Walmart in Travelers Rest had propane, bread, milk but no bottled water.

“The people who are panic buying are grabbing way too much,” one person said. “Save some for others.”

Someone who works at Publix in Taylors said they were making bread as fast as they could.

Camping World in Spartanburg reported they were expecting delivery of 200 generators - $469.99 each.

A Harbor Freight employee said Friday they were out of generators, fuel pumps, power stations and were working to get more.

Social media became a veritable marketplace. A person asking where to find propane had 213 responses.

WYFF Meteorologist Chris Justus implored people to take the situation seriously and encouraged them to get everything they need Friday and Saturday morning before the storm moves in.

Others had some helpful tips. If you can’t find ice melt, use kitty litter.