Unplowed roads, rolling blackouts and high demand for food, medicine and services are the wintry mix that many Arkansas businesses haven't planned for.
With road crews working to clear roads and utility companies struggling to keep the power on, many businesses in Arkansas were trying to stay open Tuesday, hoping to meet the demands that record-low temperatures and snow are creating.
The weather and the high demands have created logistical challenges for many businesses, especially as more snow is expected Tuesday evening and today.
Large grocery chains haven't been immune to the weather, and Walmart and Kroger closed some of their stores early Tuesday.
In an "unprecedented" decision, Kroger closed all 30 of its stores in Arkansas at 6 p.m. so employees could make it home before the winter storm was projected to arrive Tuesday evening and today.
Kroger will reopen its stores today at 8 a.m., but the early-closing decision was made as demand is high with many trying to stock up before another snowstorm.
"To my knowledge, we have not had to close stores early due to winter weather in Arkansas," Teresa Dickerson, a spokeswoman for Kroger, said in a statement. "This is definitely unprecedented."
While most Walmart stores remain open, 371 sites were closed across the nation Tuesday including ones in Jonesboro, Mena, Trumann and West Memphis.
This week's weather has also left plumbers overwhelmed as frigid weather has frozen pipes and snow-covered roads have made it harder to respond to calls.
John McCormack, owner of Sanders Plumbing in North Little Rock, said his business is seeing 10 times the number of calls it normally gets.
"Even people that have done everything they're supposed to do: their pipes are insulated, their vents are closed, you know, they're still seeing some freeze and water not working," McCormack said. "So that's really unusual, we haven't seen that in a very long time."
The volume has put a strain on his plumbing business, which is attempting to prioritize calls for the few plumbers who can make it out on the roads. On Monday, McCormack's plumbers had to stay home because of road conditions; the four plumbers who have four-wheel-drive vehicles were able to respond to calls Tuesday, McCormack said.
"The side roads are where the challenge is, which is where -- you know -- all the homes are down the side roads, down a hill," McCormack said. "So that's difficult to get to and service."
With fewer plumbers able to respond to calls, McCormack recommends people learn how to shut their water off in case pipes burst and water is spewing.
Harrison Family Pharmacy in Haskell closed Monday, but with a short respite from the snow, reopened Tuesday to a steady line of customers hoping to stock up on medicine before the next snowfall, owner Ray Bob Harrison said.
On Tuesday, the pharmacy received two or three times the amount of business it normally does, Harrison said.
"I've had a lot of business today especially with people anticipating the weather being worse tomorrow and Thursday," Harrison said.
Covid-19 vaccinations were put on hold because of the weather this week, as the pharmacy was not able to pick up its shipment Monday from Westside Pharmacy.
"We're hoping that by Thursday we'll be able to get them picked up from them and give all of our shots on Friday, Saturday and Sunday," Harrison said. "But yeah, that's really caused an issue with giving vaccines. Of course, I don't know if too many people would have wanted to get out today anyway to get them."