Galloway Stores Stocking Up in Preparation for Pending Hurricane

Galloway Township residents began as early as Thursday night preparing for the possibility of Hurricane Sandy striking New Jersey early next week.

The coming storm even cost at least one family a trip out of state.

“We were heading to Maine and we turned around at mile marker 90 because we thought it was too serious,” said Kim Maxwell, who was originally going to return with her husband, John Maxwell, on Sunday.

Kim was completing her shopping on Friday morning, Oct. 26 before heading over to help her husband prepare their seafood business before next week’s storm.

“I bought bread, eggs, milk, firewood, potatoes and canned food,” Kim Maxwell said. “I got easy access foods. After this, I’m going to help my husband prepare the seafood business. It’s right on the water, so we’re going to be moving the display case, the refrigerator, the freezers.”

John Maxwell owns Maxwell Shellfish in Port Republic.

Kim Maxwell was also shopping for her sister and her 90-year-old father, all of whom live in Galloway Township. Kim and John Maxwell have both been Galloway residents their entire lives.

Others were doing their normal shopping, but might have picked up an extra case of water or some additional batteries in case the electricity fails.

“I got an extra case of water and more dried goods, just in case,” said Margo Brady, a resident of Galloway Township for 22 years. “I was getting all my patients ready because I’m also a visiting nurse in Philadelphia. I’ve gone around and I’ve checked all my flashlights.”

Brady, like many other Galloway and Atlantic County residents, were caught off guard by the summer derecho, which left residents all over the county and the township without power, in some cases for up to a week.

Many residents went out and bought generators following that storm, but generators are hard to come by in Galloway at the moment. As of Friday morning, Galloway ACE Hardware had two generators left, at $699 each, and weren’t expecting anymore in before the storm hit. Smitty’s Hardware store in Smithville doesn’t sell generators, either, although Super Foodtown was preparing for the coming storm.

“We got 15 pallets of water in today and we have a pallet of batteries coming in on Saturday,” Super Foodtown Store Manager Keith Fansler said. “We have extra duct tape, flashlights, lanterns, lamp oil, ice, bread, milk, all the essentials. We have a special truck coming in over the weekend.

“We’re a lot more redy than we were for the derecho. People started coming in (Thursday) night, and business has been building since 7 a.m.”

Business has increased at ShopRite on Jimmie Leeds Road, as well, and they are expecting generators to come in.

“Hopefully, we’ll have enough for all the stores down here,” ShopRite Store Manager Charles Messina said.

Messina said his store has seen increased deliveries of batteries, flashlights and spring water.

“Anything storm related,” Messina said. “And we’re trying to keep everyone calm and happy.”