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HURRICANE IKE: Local business impacted by storm

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With memories of hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ivan and Gustav still fresh on the minds of folks, local businesses have found it a challenge to keep their shelves stocked with necessary emergency items.

Lowe's in Leander began receiving throngs of customers on Tuesday and Wednesday and by Thursday afternoon, the hardware store had completely sold out of generators and could possibly sell out of water, flashlights and batteries. Another shipment of supplies - including at least another 100 generators - is expected late on Friday.

The H-E-B plus! in Leander was busier than the typical weekday on Thursday.

"This is like a busy Saturday afternoon for us," said Tammy Millegan, a front-of-house manager at the superstore. "And we expect to get a lot busier by tomorrow."

Millegan said the most popular item sought is bottled water, and she said the store was well-stocked with water, batteries and flashlights. She said those weren't the only items people were filling up their grocery carts with either. "They've got canned food and all kinds of stuff." Millegan said her grocery manager told her there would be plenty of necessary items to get through the weekend.

At Lowe's, folks were also purchasing chain saws, gas cans, kerosene-type items, sand, sand bags and plenty of plywood.

"The Leander ISD purchased tarps because they are expecting to house evacuees in some of the schools," said Lowe's General Manager Stephanie Samuels on Thursday.

Samuels said "stores along the Gulf Coast completely ran out of water, flashlights and batteries during Rita and Katrina."

Lowe's has also teamed up with the American Red Cross in relief efforts through the 2008 Hurricane Relief Fund. People may donate to the fund inside the store.

"Lowe's does try to keep everything donated as close to the local area as possible," said Samuels. "And we have emergency teams ready to go down and support our Gulf stores."

Should anybody be shopping inside Lowe's and the storm gets too dangerous to drive, customers may take refuge in an evacuation shelter area inside the store.

Lowe's in Leander is also helping supply the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) emergency station on North Lamar Blvd. in North Austin.

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