My first stop was Costco, where I haven't been since mid-March. People were lined up, a respectful six feet apart from each other. I wore a mask, as required for entry into the store.
A sign posted outside (right next to a Costco employee with a box of complimentary face masks for customers who didn't have their own) listed what was, and wasn't, available.
At the meat department, these signs were posted everywhere.
One thing I didn't think to check were meat prices. I hear they've gone up, but since we seldom buy meat, I forgot to check.
In the freezer section, similar restrictions were posted -- along with prices. Holy cow.
But I did find both tuna and dog food, which were my main reasons for going into Costco.
While paying, I asked the checker when they expected toilet paper back in stock. We have enough for a few more weeks, but I'm on the lookout.
The checker gestured toward the front of the merchandise section. "That whole area was filled with toilet paper last weekend," she told me. "It didn't last long."
Everyone in Costco, customers and employees alike, were polite and cheerful.
Next stop, Cash'n'Carry (now called SmartFoodservice), a wholesale grocery supply store and one of my favorite places to shop. I checked the paper goods aisle. It had major holes, but -- yes! -- it had toilet paper.
With limits, of course.
I picked up two packages of industrial-size TP. Note, these packages cost $11.49 each (you can see the price card two photo above), a bargain considering how much TP is on each roll. Keep this price in mind for a moment.
I noticed gaps on several shelves, such as cleaning supplies...
Flour...
Sugar...
...and meats.
I passed someone's cart, loaded up with bulk staples.
As with Costco, everyone was polite and cheerful.
By the time I got out of Cash'n'Carry, it was lunch time. Every restaurant I passed had their dining areas closed, but their drive-throughs open. I passed a Wendy's which had a line so long at the drive-through that it actually extended onto the street. I was driving so I couldn't take a picture, but when I stopped at a nearby stoplight, I photographed it in the mirror (which is why the lettering is all backward).
I was very pleased to see the restaurants as busy as they were, even though I'm certain business is still desperately down.
Last stop, Winco, which has the best bulk section in town. I passed some industrial-sized shelves with bulk foods for sale. Evidently there was enough demand for large quantities of staples that Winco was offering the big bags in one convenient spot.
The biggest surprise -- I don't know why it surprised me, but it did -- was in the bulk section. I wanted to pick up some spiral pasta, but to my surprise, every single lidded bulk bin no longer had loose items available for customers to bag up. Instead, they offered pre-bagged portions. Literally the only thing in the spiral pasta bin was a ginormous 25-pound bag of spiral pasta. I shrugged and bought it. Pasta doesn't go bad, and I like spiral pasta for macaroni and cheese. (This photo shows a different pasta bin, not the spiral pasta.)
As with everywhere else, some shelves were conspicuously understocked, such as flour, though there was plenty to be had.
Soup was popular.
And the canning jar section had been raided.
Cleaning supplies were also picked over.
Then, curious, I peeked into the toilet paper aisle. They had some, but clearly it was a popular place.
It also had the obligatory sign.
Then I noticed the prices. Holy cow. Contrary to the "24" on the package, each pack contained six rolls. Six. (Apparently these are "mega rolls" equivalent to 24 smaller rolls or something.)
Now compare this to what I paid at Cash'n'Carry for industrial-sized rolls. Definitely the better bargain at Cash'n'Carry.
As I checked out and bagged my purchases, I fell into conversation with the checker since there were no other customers behind me. In fact, the store was by no means crowded. The checker said things had been crazy-insane through March and April, but had slowed down quite a bit in May. I don't know if this is good or bad.
I photographed the line of checkout lanes on the way out, each one of which was now kitted out with plexiglass barriers for the safety of the cashiers.
So that was my excursion going into town. What are you folks experiencing?
