Local stores plan for Thanksgiving rush

BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) – Which are the busiest days for Thanksgiving shopping? It may depend on which local grocer you’re talking with.

At Rulli Brothers markets in the area, the busiest days are earlier in the week.

“I think a lot of people are doing frozen turkey, especially they have to have enough time to thaw that bird out before the holiday,” Mark Rulli said.

But at other spots, like the newly opened Grocery Outlet store in Boardman, owners predict they’ll be busy on Wednesday.

“The best sales for fresh turkeys are usually Tuesday and Wednesday because you don’t have to thaw them out, so that’s the last-minute things that people are buying,” said Eric Senges, with Grocery Outlet.

One thing that is changing is the increasing use of electronic coupons customers can pull up on their phones.

“The companies like it because they can keep track of the volume that’s being sold. We like it, too, because we don’t have to deal with all those extra coupons,” Rulli said.

While this is a busy time for those who are picking up things for that big holiday feast, there’s always something you forget the first time you went shopping.

“We came back and we got everything we needed, and the extra bargains that they had,” Debbie Gallagher said, who was in the store for a second day in a row with her friend.

Gallagher said she forgot cherry pie and vanilla ice cream the first time she was there.

For those who realize Thursday morning they’re still missing ingredients, a few stores, including the Grocery Outlets in Boardman and New Castle will be open.

“A lot of them are not open on Thanksgiving, and people have last-minute things they forget,” Senges said.

And if this isn’t stressful enough, once Thanksgiving is over, we’ll only have a month to get ready for Christmas.