Todd Treese is one of the few people who always look forward to the winter weather.

“Personally, it isn’t my cup of tea,” he said. “But it is amazing for business.”

That’s because Treese is the manager of True Value Hardware in West Des Moines. So for him, the threat of snow means customers flocking to his store for supplies.

“When people start hearing about snow heading our way, they immediately start preparing,” he said.

That’s why last Wednesday, with threats of freezing rain and blizzard-like conditions on every forecast, Treese was forced to stay two hours late because of the huge demand for items like ice melt, sand and snow blowers.

The scene was the same at hardware and home improvement stores all over Central Iowa. As the storm approached, many rushed out to make sure they had all the supplies they needed to stay warm, dry and comfortable.

“We got an emergency shipment of ice melt in,” said Rick Watson, manager of Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse of West Des Moines. “And it’s selling out quickly.”

Watson said the store has sold so many generators it had to order more than 100 more to keep up with demand.

“People don’t think to buy these items until they absolutely need them,” he said. “Once the weatherman gives that ugly forecast, everybody is rushing out to get supplies.”

Generators range in price from $500 to $1,200, depending on the size and brand. Watson said the most popular model, of which he has sold nearly 100 this year, goes for $699. It cranks out 5,500 watts, enough power to keep your refrigerator, furnace, some lights and your television running.

“We’ve had a lot of demand, but not nearly as much as some other locations farther north where many homes lost power,” he said. “But it’s safe to say snow is great for business.”

The same cannot be said for USF Holland Motor Express. When your business relies on navigating the nation’s interstate system, snowy weather can wreak havoc, said Fran Gass, USF’s terminal manager in Des Moines.

“It’s been a trip,” she said. “The weather has made it very difficult to do our jobs.”

Late last week, sections of the interstate north of Ames and west of Adel were impassable, Gass said. Because of this, a lot of trucks were sent back to the terminal, forced to wait out the storm in rest areas or never left in the first place.

“It gets very expensive when you have shipments delayed,” she said. “We lose a lot of money any time we have to shut it down.”

When the roads are finally cleared and the weather decides to cooperate, most businesses can return to their normal pace. This isn’t true for the trucking industry.

“Everything gets backed up when we’re shut down, so once the roads are clear, we have to really work to get things out,” Gass said. “Plus, any inbound shipments are usually delayed as well. So everything is a blur when things clear up.”

Gass said her company tries to keep in constant contact with customers to let them know the status of their shipment.

“They are always very understanding,” she said. “Until the roads are clear. That’s when the impatience kicks in. They don’t understand why we still can’t get stuff out when it’s nice outside.”

Back at True Value, Treese said that although spring is still the company’s biggest season for sales, winter is definitely a close second.

“We probably look forward to winter more than most people,” he said. “To say it’s good for business is an understatement.”

Gass, on the other hand, is ready for Old Man Winter to finally take a bow and get off stage.

“We are all very much looking forward to spring,” she said. “I hope we’ve seen the last blast of snow and ice we are going to have until next year.”