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Scene report: a run on rain gear
This ACL Fest isn’t about flip flops, shorts and T-shirts to stay cool. It’s about having rain gear to stay dry.
One local store, Whole Earth Provision Co. on North Lamar Boulevard, has been trying to keep up with the demand from Austinites and out-of-towners.
“We are sold out of our ponchos and most of our rain jackets. It’s been crazy,” Rich Lee, the store’s assistant manager, said. “Yesterday was pretty much busy all day until the evening.”
We’ve also head reports of area REI and Academy stores experiencing similar shopping trends.
On Saturday night, Lee said, the store’s general manager drove to Whole Earth’s San Antonio store to stock up on dozens of rain jackets and ponchos. Managers also called in extra employees and opened at 11:30 a.m. instead of noon on Sunday to meet the strong demand for rain supplies.
On Sunday, Lee said, there was a steady stream of shoppers, and the store’s big sellers included rain boots and sandals.
“It’s been so muddy I think people want something they can muck around in,” Lee said. “I saw the forecast and had it in the back of my mind. It has been a while since we had a rainy ACL. In retrospect, (we) could have even opened up earlier.”
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