Unseasonably Warm Weather Hurting Some Ames Retailers

Unseasonably warm temperatures have left stacks of seasonal merchandise in some outdoor stores.

Local retailers have found themselves selling things like Wilt Stop in stead of snow shovels and golf discs instead of snowshoes, Ames managers said Tuesday.

A dozen shovels, bags of snowmelt and salt have gone untouched at . With 60 degree temperatures, people have come in more concerned about their wilting evergreens and sprouting roses than possible snow, said Andy Merkley, a manager at the store.

“Roses are starting to sprout, they are confused,” Merkley said.

He tells people to spray perennials and shrubs that have come to life too early with Wilt Stop and then cover them in order to survive the cold days ahead. Today's forecast calls for snow after noon.

Any snow accumulation, if there is any, won't be enough to sell out of racks of snow shoes in stock at at 4273 Lincoln Way.

“That wall would be empty by now if we had snow,” Morgan Dowdall, camping department manager, said pointing at rows of Tubbs and MSR snowshoes that remain untouched.

Aplina and Fischer Cross Country Skis have been passed over along with heavy winter jackets, boots and ice fishing supplies.

Sales of snowshoes and skis are down by about 50 percent compared to the same time last year, Dowdall said.

About 40 boxes of ice augers were stacked in the store's hunting and fishing department.

“Normally we'd have very few by now,” said Andy Long, a manager there.

Managers hinted that a warm weather sale would be coming soon.

But the warmer weather hasn't been all bad news.

Jax, a store that features all types of outdoor gear, has seen a slight increase in camping gear, athletic running shoes, baseball and softball equipment and disc golf supplies.

In the summer months Jordan McCrea, another Jax manager, said she'd probably have 10 times the amount of golf discs in stock, adding that they would never normally sell during the winter. A single rack was on display and McCrea has another order coming.

“This January we've sold quite a bit,” McCrea said.

• This article has been changed since its first post. Morgan Dowdall was misspelled and his statement on snowshoe and ski sales was clarified.