COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lines snaked through grocery stores across the Midlands as families put the finishing touches on their Thanksgiving holiday shopping.
The click-clack of shopping carts has been the soundtrack for many in Columbia including Terry Hays, a Columbia resident.
She was joined by hundreds of others visiting Piggly Wiggly on Wednesday trying to secure the final items on their Thanksgiving shopping list.
"It has been wild today. I have been to Columbiana Mall and then to Target and then I went from there to Lexington and it was worse there. Then from Lexington to West Columbia and it was worse there and now I'm in Columbia."
Throughout the evening we saw cart after cart full of the Thanksgiving essentials.
Renee Joye is a regular at the store, she says "[it's] extremely busier than normal. I eat lunch here periodically and I've never seen the parking lot this full but given the holiday, I'm assuming it's because everybody's out."
Mary Burnett, an Iowa native was out grabbing some food with her brother. She says the stores have been packed all day, and she hasn't let the increase in food prices stop her.
"Cool Whip for the pumpkin pie, and we needed some more potatoes and some more eggs." Burnett adds, "He got a small turkey breast and then I got ham. Prices have been higher, but you just find a way. It's Thanksgiving."
Over at Uncle Willie's grocery store on North Main Street, owner Cristista Williams tells us it's been a mad dash for many of her customers. She says they've had to even change some of the items in stock to fit the Thanksgiving energy.
"This time of year, of course buying a lot of turkey. We sell a lot of turkey wings here - baked turkey wings, some people buy uncooked turkey wings. We've had farm fresh chicken, some people have been buying farm fresh chicken."
She says business has increased as Thanksgiving got closer too.
"People are excited, they have family members coming into town. They are wanting to show their family members what Columbia has to offer. So, I've had customers bringing family members by, and customers getting goodies for lunch as a taste test for 'what do I want to order as the holiday approaches."
Williams tells us Uncle Willie's will be open tomorrow from 10 am to 2 pm.