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TARRYTOWN, N.Y. If you walked into Goldberg Hardware on Main St. in Tarrytown Friday afternoon looking for flashlights, batteries or sand, chances are Steve Noye told you they didn't have any in stock.
We're currently out of D batteries, flashlights, six-volt batteries and sand, Noye said. We got swamped.
Noye said the store saw an influx of customers on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.
We got a small delivery this morning and they went as soon as they came, he said. We might be getting some stuff in tomorrow morning, but as you can imagine the people who we buy from are having problems getting stuff. Everybody's been getting swamped.
More and more people are preparing for Hurricane Irene's wrath, stocking up on hardware and food supplies. Stores throughout the Tarrytown area saw depleted or empty shelves. Water, flashlights and D batteries were particularly hard to find.
The water aisle at the Stop & Shop in Tarrytown was completely empty, save for several 20-bottle packages of water on a pallet around 4 p.m. Shoppers quickly scooped them up in less than a five-minute span as they discussed the upcoming hurricane.
Water was scarce at the C-Town supermarket on Broadway and the Walgreens in the Tarrytown Centre as well. Both stores had a few cases left on the shelves, but no sign from store employees that the shelves would be completely restocked. Walgreens also had no flashlights for sale, although its first-aid kit shelves were stocked to the brim.
Ken Liu of Irvington was at the Stop & Shop picking up a few items for the storm. He said he wasn't worried until his wife asked him to go out and pick up a few things.
We're pretty prepared anyway; we have tons of stuff at home just in case... [but] a little extra never hurt, he said.
While many people were stocking up in preparation for the storm, others felt people were overreacting. Sleepy Hollow resident Justin Schoene also stopped at the Stop & Shop on Friday afternoon. He said Hurricane Irene was just a little rain and water.
I'm not worried about it, he said, elaborating that he was just planning to stay inside and ride it out.
Follow news of Hurricane Irene throughout the weekend on our website and our Facebook page.
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