INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (February 8, 2016) – Central Indiana is more than two thirds of the way through the winter season and before Monday had less than eight inches of total snowfall, which is about 11 inches below average, according to Fox 59 Meteorologist Daniel Dozier. The lack of snow has some local businesses hurting.
“It’s been a very mild winter and no one is buying anything really," Akard True Value Hardware manager Toni Peart said. "It’s so quiet in here.”
Peart said so far this year the store only sold about 10 percent of the salt that it did last year and other winter supplies aren't selling well either.
“Oh I don’t think we’ve had maybe two shovels go out of the store this whole season," Peart said. "I mean you could have taken a broom and dusted off the snow this year.”
The family owned business owns all of their merchandise so anything they don't sell will have to be stored and saved for next winter, Peart said.
“We haven’t even sold any of our sleds for the kids," she said. "I bet you the kids are really missing the snow this year, but ya we want snow."
However, the lack of snow is helping Indy's Snow Force save up on its salt supply, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Hashem.
The department has only used 15,200 tons of salt as of January 1st, she said. That's compared to 38,500 tons last season and 67,000 tons in 2014.
Hashem said any money the agency saves this year will go toward next year's salt budget.
