The wife and I ventured out to the store late yesterday afternoon. We generally stock up on things but needed a few fresh items, etc.

WOW. Stores everywhere are wiped clean. Of everything. People are buying stuff just for the sake of it, even if it's something they don't need.

I needed some toothpicks for a project. Not a box of toothpicks to be found anywhere, and we went to six different "superstores" (Walmart, Meijer, etc.) on our adventure.


Miraculously, we found a gallon of milk at one store, some fresh lettuce at another, and a huge display of nice fresh asparagus at another. Even managed to snag 4 cans of beer ... apparently other people do not like Foster's in the "oil can". Liquor stores are another story ... completely wiped out.


This is gonna be the new normal for a while too. I talked to a couple store managers who both said that even if they could get the inventory to replenish their stores, they don't have enough regular manpower to stock it all back on to the shelves. One manager said if he had the inventory and started right away, and had no interruptions, it would take several weeks to "rebuild" the store to where it once was.