Gulf Coast Residents Load Up on Hurricane Supplies Even Without Tax Break

Shoppers are stocking up on storm gear as hurricane season starts, despite no tax-free deals this year. 

Sunshine Ace Hardware stepped up with special discounts to fill the gap. Their stores cut prices on essential items and started a contest to win a generator. Short-term deals target basic needs like power sources and lighting.

"The more you buy, the more you save," said Scott Hamblen, Sunshine Ace COO. "We're here every day to take care of people."

Safety experts push for early preparation to skip the mad dash when storms threaten. Basic needs top their checklists, like power banks, lights, cooling devices, and backup systems, rank as critical items.

"We have a hurricane closet," said Diane Sylvester to Gulf Coast News. "We just have a closet set up with our batteries in it and our flashlights and whatever else we need for the hurricane."

Sylvester tracks her stock year-round. "We look for batteries really all year long, and we make sure that we have them pretty much set up at right around this time," she said.

Storm season starts June 1 and ends November 30.