Geneva Ace Hardware reports brisk sales of salt, shovels, snowblowers

With memories of last year's brutal winter still fresh, one would think suburbanites were set on shovels, salt and snowblowers.

Not necessarily the case - sales for all three spiked at the Ace Hardware Store, 617 W. State St., Geneva.

General Manager Rob Livingston said sales were strong on Saturday as forecasters predicted a storm, and were strong again on Sunday as the snow came as predicted. That wasn't unexpected, Livingston said, his store does well whenever bad weather blasts the 'burbs.

The severe flooding in April 2013 led to an onslaught of customers looking for pumps, wet vacs and other items.

Livingston said he had only a few snowblowers left Monday.

"This is more of the norm. We actually benefit from natural disasters," Livingston said. "That's the whole goal - to be able to help our customers. Weather plays a major role for us. Whenever we have a big snow forecast, our sales spike. It's a lot of work for us, but we're helping people solve a problem - getting dug out."