Sold Out! Harrison Shelves Emptying as Irene Approaches

Anyone looking for batteries or a flashlight in Harrison's hardware and grocery stores Friday was in for an adventure.

Just ask Arlene Viscomi, who traveled to half a dozen different stores looking for batteries with no luck. 

"I've been all over," said Viscomi, a West Harrison resident, after leaving on Lake Street. "First of all, you go into the supermarkets, the parking lots! It took me 10 minutes to find a parking spot—and then the shelves are empty."

Viscomi said she had tried Stop & Shop, CVS, Costco, a nearby dollar store and even asked her sister to look around in Manhattan, but couldn't find the batteries she needed for flashlights and an emergency radio.

Bert Ricci, who owns Silver Lake Hardware, said batteries were in such high demand Friday he had to re-stock halfway through the day—and that still wasn't enough.

"All day we've been calling to see where we can get stuff," Ricci said. He said he finally found a warehouse in Tarrytown Friday morning and ordered about a dozen crates of D batteries.

"Two hours, they were gone," he said.

By Friday evening the hardware store had no flashlights or batteries. Water pumps were moving fast too, Ricci said. Although storms have brought him a lot of business over the years, Ricci said he never remembers a day like Friday in anticipation of a storm.

"Not all at once like this, not so concentrated," he said.

Over at A&P on Halstead Avenue, bottled water was in short supply by 2 p.m. Although there were only a few bottles left on the shelf, store managers setup a new display on the other side of the store to make sure there was enough available.

Friday morning at Harrison Paint Supply there were plenty of people stopping by for tape, tarps and flashlights. 

"We've been trying to keep up," said Rolando Pico, who has worked at the store for eight years. "Batteries, flashlights, everything is running out."

Hurrican Irene is expected to reach the Northeast coast by either late Saturday or early Sunday. Although the storm over the last few hours, forecasters say there is still potential for dangerously strong wind and heavy rain. 

A remains in effect for Westchester County as the storm continues to move up the Eastern Seaboard.

Although no one knows for sure just how strong the storm will be when it reaches Harrison, it appears customers in the area aren't taking any chances.

"Hopefully this is just a precaution and it doesn't really happen," said Viscomi. "But I'd rather be safe than sorry."