Hardware stores, plow drivers waiting for snow

By Ana Bottary

abottary@abc6.com

Shelves at Shwartz Ace Hardware in Fall River are fully stocked with shovels, rock salt, and ice melt. Due to the lack of snow and some warmer temperatures, these items have not been a hot commodity this year.

"This years sales are down because the ice melt sales account for about 25 percent of our sales this time of the year," says the owner of the store, Rick Shwartz.

Shwartz says sales are down about 7 percent, showing ABC6 News the hundreds of bags of rock salt and ice melt that have not yet been purchased. He says the customers’ level of concern for snow removal tools seems to vary on the month.

"In February, it becomes an ‘oh hum’ month. When the snow comes… then they’ll come in and buy the stuff. In January they get concerned before it comes," says Shwartz.

Hardware stores are not the only ones affected by the minimum snow fall. Snow plow drivers are as well.

"In normal years, you get about 10-12 storms, but this year we’ve only had 2-3. This one being 4," says Eddie Santos-= of J.H Landscaping.

Santos has been a plow driver for more than 30 years. He says this winter is one of the driest he has seen, which means he is not making the extra money he did last year to go towards things like his Harley Davidson.

"I’m not really making extra money. It’s a big difference, last year we were out every other day and this year I’m praying for some," says Santos.

A forecast for snow Friday is music to both Shwartz’s and Santos’ ears.

© WLNE-TV 2016