As snow clean up continues many are still stuck inside their homes during a week where holiday shopping would usually begin, but as soon as streets are plowed and driveways cleared many who’ve been cooped up indoors this week are expected to make their way straight to restaurants, retail, and grocery stores.
Buffalo Niagara Partnership President and CEO Dottie Gallagher-Cohen says she believes people that are experiencing cabin fever are anxious to get shopping.
“I don’t think that the stores have to do anything other than be open to recover a lot of what they’re losing in these days,” said Gallagher-Cohen.
Gallagher-Cohen says there’s no question businesses located at the epicenter of the storm have experienced loss, pointing to the roof collapse at some local businesses, but she’s confident that they can make up the sales.
“People have a budget that they’re going to spend for the holidays and they’re going to spend it. So, I think a place like the Galleria has a chance to make up a lot of the sales that they’ve lost, but I think we have to deal with what we’re handed and in the end it’s not going to bankrupt any business, at least I hope not,” said Gallagher-Cohen.
Gallagher-Cohen says there may have been a loss in Canadian shoppers due to the storm, but she believes many rescheduled there trip over the border.