For the past year I have noticed some increased interest in generators at the local home center stores like Lowes and Home Depot. This weekend, for the first time, I noticed quite obvious stocking of y2k products. These included oil lamps, wood stoves, and alkaline batteries. I did not see anyone buying these products, but I assume that management thinks they will sell. They also had a big endcap display of GenTran transfer switches and other generator related hardware. This is not their usual practice to stock these items (at least in this area.)

Lowes had the small Vogelzang woodstove for $189 and a slightly nicer sheet metal stove for about $230.

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), October 24, 1999

Answers

At Wal-Mart over the weekend, we listened to Y2K advertisements over their PA system.

"Most 'experts' assure us there will be minimal problems, but, just in case....you can count on Wal-Mart to help you with your shopping needs." (next comes the female voice of a dietician (?)) " Preparing meals with canned tuna and salmon is a wonderful way to provide your family with the necessary nutrition on a tight budget." (or something to that effect)

We were quite surprised. All of our grocery stores (even in the small towns) have begun to offer bulk purchases and have added displays of canned items by the case or flat at the ends of each isle. People MUST be buying them or they wouldn't be offered and yet, I almost NEVER see anyone buying in bulk like I do.

-- Will continue (farming@home.com), October 25, 1999.

Will Continue:

I've seen the same thing around here... at the end of the aisles you see LOTS of cans of chili w/ beans, and spam, and cases of soup, or water, etc. Haven't seen anyone buying either, but could be because the prices seem to have gone up quite a bit. Haven't been in Lowe's lately... but have thought of getting some plywood, etc.

gp

-- georgia peach (Cases@buynow.com), October 25, 1999.

Speaking of Lowes---I bought one of their gas cooking stoves they said was y2k ready. When the propane guy came to hook it up the propane fixture was not there and when I called the store they said I had to order it from the company. OK, did that, then, when I put my 16 quart canner on the burner, it didn't get hot enough to boil the water in 1/2 hour. Called the company, they said call the repair man, did that. Repair man gave me a cock and bull story about people wanted a stove that didn't get so hot and if I wanted to boil water in a 16 quart container I should have bought a bigger stove! So, now I have this new propane cooking stove all ready for y2k but I can't do my canning on it and it takes twenty minutes to bake biscuits not counting the twent minutes it takes to warm up the oven. Oh yes, the brand name of the oven is Frigidaire.

-- Roberta Blackard (roblackard@juno.com), October 26, 1999.