ST. LOUIS — Shoppers took to grocery stores in St. Louis on a mission for both holiday meals and winter storm foods on Tuesday.
Milk, bread and eggs were some of the items most people filled their grocery baskets with ahead of inclement weather that might keep them at home. Many will need those supplies as St. Louis braces for the possibility of blizzard-like conditions Thursday into the weekend.
“I grew up in International falls Minnesota, and what you call winter here, we call tropical weather,” said Eric Brende, who was shopping at the Fields Foods in Lafayette Square.
Brende told 5 On Your Side, while he might be used to it, he wanted to make sure his house guests who are coming in for Christmas will be fed.
“I'm getting one step ahead of the game. I don't want to be caught snowed out. I'm stocking up," he said.
Lucky for him, Fields Foods stores will be open through it all.
“In lieu of the weather, we did this for the holidays, so we're getting trucks earlier because of the holiday schedule so that worked out perfectly,” store owner Chris Goodson said.
Goodson added the location of Fields Foods stores are key for getting employees to work during this latest round of weather.
"Before, people would have to take public transportation in this cold and possibly shut down sometimes, so here, we're walkable," Goodson said. "Also, a lot of our other stores are inside apartment buildings."
Fields Foods have focused on the basics but also hot and ready-made meals.
"For me, it's like comfort foods. It could be like a box of Cheez-Its or something as simple as that,” said Holly Rains, another shopper.
Like many Missourians, Holly Rains told 5 On Your Side she would wait and see what the weather brings.
“Sometimes, we hear about major snow storms and nothing really happens, and it is way less than expected. And other times, it's like 'I way underestimated this,' so I'm kind of waiting to see what happens,” Rains said.
Fields Foods plans to open for regular business hours Thursday and Friday.
Goodson said he's are prepared to power the store with a generator if something happens.
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