HASTINGS, Mich. — Nearly nine inches of snow left streets and stores empty in Hastings.
The city was under a winter storm warning.
“I was kind of surprised by how dead it was,” said Parrish Hall. “It’s bad, but it’s not that bad.”
Hall and his wife, Vanessa, were two of the only people strolling through Hastings's downtown area Wednesday night. The couple says they wanted to escape the confines of their home and enjoy the winter weather.
“We like the snow, so I’m glad we’re finally getting a little bit of it,” said Hall. “It was getting a little bit ugly there with everything melting and getting dirty.”
Snow covered every road, car and sign in sight.
Ryan Kioski, who runs the local Ace Hardware, says the store has felt the city’s idleness too. There were more employees than customers in the store when FOX 17 stopped by in the early evening.
“This store has just been extremely slow,” said Kioski.
Kioski says in the days leading up to the snow, the store was busy with people preparing for the incoming weather.
“People were ramping up, especially yesterday,” said Kioski. “Very busy day. We sold a ton of shovels and salt and everything else. Today is just the people who forgot or they didn’t listen to the news.”
Despite the rush, though, piles of product, like winter clothing, de-icer and shovels, still sat on shelves if people needed it. Kioski says the store has managed to avoid most of the supply chain issues that have plagued other shops over the last several months.
“We’re pretty prepared,” said Kioski.
