Lowes in Bartonsville, PA on Dec 1st. More pallets were to the right and left of the photo. Nations Choice, Cheat River, and AWF (white bag with blue and red generic fonts).
Our local HD was almost out last weekend -- Perhaps 35 ton down from more than I could cont a couple weeks ago,
They probably put them on TT and sent them to another store located where they are hoping weather conditions and competing fuel prices will make it a little more hopeful for them to sell? They sure wouldn't be moving in NE. 5 of the next 10 days are predicted to be at or near 60 degrees around here!
Perhaps -- But they did have rows with peoples names attached a couple weeks back. I think, at least in this area, the "lowered" price of 259 per ton tickled some people into buying.
Here in the land 'O plenty I see nothing. Usually by this time of year there is a pallet of pellets by the door at TSC and HD's parking lot is lined with pallets. I didn't drive around back but usually by now they are front and center. Even the front of store line up at HD had salt and sandbags but no pellets.
I noticed that the two HD's I frequent have some pellets in the store, but none out front. the have a whole chit-load out back though (or at least it looks like it). Dropped their price down to $5.18, so they obviously aren't having a run on pellets, else their prices would have stayed steady or risen.
Here in the snow belt they usually put them in the parking lot early fall and work that down . Whatever is left when snow flies they get under cover. It's nothing to get 2' of snow over nite here. I've yet to see any in parking lots anywhere this fall. There's 5 pellet mills within 100 miles of here. I'm wondering if mills didn't supply their far away customers this summer and are now supplying locals as needed. Last winter during the extended cold trucks weren't rolling. Theory that makes sense to me.