By Alison Fox and Ivan Pereira
New Yorkers braved crowds and limited selections to stock up on food Monday, preparing for a few long days under a couple feet of white snow.
Supermarket shelves throughout the city appeared to be quickly emptying as storm-ready New Yorkers lined up to shop. A longer than usual line snaked through the Trader Joe’s on Court Street as dozens of shoppers waited in line, their carts full of responsible staples, like break, milk, and eggs.
Earlier in the day the line wrapped around the outside corner of the store and down Atlantic Avenue, witnesses said.
“I didn’t make a list,” Crown Heights resident Andy Fram, 25, said. “I just came and grabbed everything I need.”
Shelves stayed fairly well stocked at Trader Joe’s through the afternoon, a welcome sign to many who were preparing for the worst. While the frozen section started to clear out fast, the beer aisle remained largely untouched.
The line at Union Market in Cobble Hill was considerably smaller, but still much larger than usual.
Annika Inez, 42, was already planning on making a fish stew for friends who are visiting from out of town before the blizzard hit. Now, she said, she also stocked up on chips and animal crackers for her 8-year-old daughter, Matea.
“We’re really looking forward to tomorrow,” she said. “I think we’re going to cook and play in the snow.”
Not everyone was worried about loading up their carts. Donald Montenegro, 33, wasn’t surprised by the crowds as he waited to purchase onions and chicken broth for a soup he wanted to make.
“It’s the same type of thing that happens when there are other weather problems,” he said. “The nearby deli is always open. I can rely on them.”
