Key Food in West End Prepares for Winter Storm

Duraflame and other logs were stacked high in a window at Key Food in the West End early Thursday morning, as Long Beach prepares for a winter storm.

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The supermarket manager, Rich Graziano, said the logs were among the items the store decided to stock up on before Mother Nature delivers as many as 10 inches of snow to Long Island starting late Thursday, followed by a drop in temperatures to the mid-teens.

“I understand in this neighborhood there are a lot of fireplaces,” Graziano told Patch. “So we ordered extra fire logs.”

Although during the 10 a.m. hour Thursday the store was still waiting for a delivery of rock salt, Graziano said the supermarket is otherwise well stocked with many staples that pre-storm shoppers typically purchase, including bread and milk.

While the supermarket, which opened last spring at 1080 W. Beech St. after Hurricane Sandy knocked C-Town supermarket out of business at that location, is scheduled to remain open until 9 p.m., Graziano said he will keep track of the storm on radio news to determine if he should close earlier.

“I have to make sure my employees get home safely,” he said. “Some live in Queens, some live here in the neighborhood. I’ll drive the locals home if they need me to.”