Wacky weather woes

Jeff Reyes, the manager of Hardware Depot in Woodside, pointed to nearly 100 snow shovels stacked in the storefront as the temperature reached 58 degrees on Thursday, January 4, shovels that he said during a normal winter would be flying off the shelves.
He estimated that the store's owner invested nearly $4,000 in shovels, $2,000 in salt and $6,000 in heaters for this winter, but hardly any of the items have left the store.
&#8220The company [from which they bought the winter supplies] won't take them back,” Reyes said, &#8220So he [the owner of the store] loses the money.”
Reyes said that, as manager, he ordered all of the winter supplies in accordance with what had been sold last year, so he hopes that his boss does not blame him for that decision.
As temperatures climbed into the 70s two days later, more than 30 degrees above normal, making this year one of the mildest starts to the winter season in recent memory, some businesses like Reyes' have seen their profits take a hit.
Ski slopes have been empty because of the lack of snow; heating companies have seen a decrease in consumer demand while shoe and clothing stores have been selling less winter gear and fashions.
Michael Allicock, owner of Amore Fashion Store in Whitestone said that this time of year is usually quiet, but the warm weather is making sales worse. He estimated that his store has stocked about $25,000 worth of winter shoes and boots, and unless the temperatures take a dive and stay cold for the rest of the winter, he expects to show a loss of about $25,000 this season since he expected to sell the inventory for $50,000.
&#8220I'll be lucky to sell half,” Allicock said. &#8220When you stock a lot of boots, and there is no snow, it's a big problem.”
However, there are many businesses and industries that would not mind seeing the mild temperatures continue.
Bob Smith, General Manager for the Forest Park and Douglaston golf courses said that typically, when the weather is cold he might get one or two dozen golfers on the course, but during this winter, he has seen between 100 and 200 golfers per day, especially on the weekends, venturing out to the course.
&#8220That Saturday [when the temperature reached 72 degrees] on both courses we couldn't get another person on the course from sun up to sun down,” he said.
Another area that has benefited from the warm weather is the construction industry with companies not having to worry about the foul weather delaying projects and forcing them to lay off workers.
Although temperatures are expected to remain in the 50s and may even reach 60 degrees over the weekend, forecasters are predicting temperatures in the 30s beginning Tuesday, January 16, reminding residents winter is not over yet.