Grocers prepping for holidays amid pandemic

Is the pandemic affecting the Thanksgiving crowd?

Reporter Chelsea Brown spoke with a local grocer about that.

Grocery stores are filled with people preparing their thanksgiving menus in the midst of this pandemic.

Wtva chelsea brown is live in starkville with how it's affected grocery sales at one store.

Here at vowells market place shoppers are making sure they have everything they need for their thanksgiving dinners.

I spoke with the store manager and he says sales for typical thanksgiving items are up this year despite warnings to avoid large crowds.

Their own household ."

"it is actually a little higher to be honest with you, some of the charitable donations have been better some people have been buying turkeys to give to people displaced by the pandemic."

Max stillman is the store manager, he told me about the store's program "hunger knows no season."

It is a bag with basic food a customer can purchase and all of that food goes to st josephs food pantry here in starkville.

"we actually doubled in the sales than we have in past years."

He says all of the thanksgiving necessities sales are up this year.

"cranberry sauces, the dressing mixes and things like that, the flour, mill, all of the commodities have picked up" stillman says most of the turkey sales are 10-12 pound turkies this year.

People are also out shopping earlier than normal.

"i think this year it has been kind of steady more people are buying in advance."

Stillman says thanksgiving is mostly last-minute shopping and expects more business next week.

From what he heard from customers more people will be eating only with their household members this year.

"i think it will be more intimate this year, with fewer people.

I think everyone will celebrate but with thier own household."

And for those very last-minute shoppers... vowell's will be open on thanksgiving from 6am - 2pm live in starkville, chelsea brown, wtva 9 news