Flood-hit residents raid hardware stores
Canadian Tire, Princess Auto scramble to meet need for pumps
Area hardware stores were restocking shelves Friday after being deluged by customers bailing out homes flooded by record rainfall.
“There was a mad rush; we sold out of sump pumps, wet/dry vacuums, mops,” said Oscar Gagnon, sales associate at Canadian Tire in east Windsor.
At one point, Canadian Tire employees were working with other local retailers, including competitors, to help customers whose homes were taking in water from a series of storms that overwhelmed sewers. “We wanted to help; we didn’t want anybody to leave empty handed,” said Gagnon.
Tecumseh and east Windsor were hardest hit by the slow-moving weather system that began Wednesday night, and dumped up to 190 millimetres of rain.
Phil Giacalone, Canadian Tire general manager, said he placed an “emergency order” Thursday night for sump pumps, mops and fans for the area’s three retail outlets.
“We’re all stocked up with sump pumps, dehumidifiers, cleaning supplies, mops, pails and another order is in process,” said Giacolone.
A storm victim himself, Giacolone spent Thursday managing the situation at work via phone while bailing out water from his basement and helping neighbours. “I placed a state of emergency order for all Canadian Tire stores in Windsor so we would have inventory to take care of local customers. We brought in two truckloads that arrived at 5:30 a.m. from Toronto.” By opening time at 8 a.m. Friday, a larger than normal group of customers was waiting outside the store, he said.
It was a similar story at Princess Auto on Forest Glade Drive.
Brandon Keller, a manager at Princess Auto, said he also had to place a special order for sump pumps, wet/dry vacuums and hoses, which had sold out by early afternoon Thursday.
“When I got here at 9:30 a.m. (Thursday), the store was packed,” he said. “We ran out of pumps, hoses, fans. It was ridiculous.” On Friday, there were still people looking for sump pumps and fans, he added.
Giacolone said sales at the eastend Canadian Tire shot up more than 100 per cent Friday. “It was crazy,” he said.
I placed a state of emergency order for all Canadian Tire stores in Windsor so we would have inventory to take care of local customers.