Terrible busy - that's how Jim Hanes, who works in the electrical department at the Lowe's on Carlisle Road described the past two days as people gear up for storms from Hurricane Sandy.

The store did record business on Saturday, he said.

Oil lamps and even tiki torches were all sold out by Sunday morning, said Hanes.

The store sold out of gas cans on Saturday morning, and one customer came in looking for something to siphon gasoline out of her car to use for a generator in her home, Hanes said.

"Some people are in a panic, but for the most part people have been very gracious when we tell them we're sold out of something," Hanes said. "We feel very bad when we have to tell people we don't have what they need."

"I lived in south Louisiana and down there they know how to deal with them," Hanes said. "But getting a hurricane here is like when they get snow in North Carolina and people don't know what to do."

Jeff and Sharon Martin of Jackson Township were at Lowe's on Sunday for oil lamps but since they were sold out they were just browsing for other items.

"We stocked up on canned goods and dry food and we threw big bottles of water in the freezer," Sharon Martin said. "And we got all of the things out of the yard that could blow around."

Jeff Martin said he hopes the storm will be in and out fairly quickly.

"It's not going to be another Agnes and I already lived through that," he said.

Yorkers were loading up on milk, bread, bananas and other essentials on Sunday at the Giant on West Market Street in York City, but the only thing customer Tammy Arnold was buying on Sunday was several gallons of water.

"The west side Wal-Mart was already sold out on Saturday night," said Arnold, 43, of Thomasville.

Spangler’'s ACE staff are ready for the storm, and they'’re taking names and numbers.

Since Thursday, the hardware store at 4072 Carlisle in Dover has been flooded by customers preparing for possible storms from Hurricane Sandy, said Ashley Spangler, the store’'s owner.

The hurricane is traveling up the East Coast from the Bahamas and threatens to bring rains and high-gust winds into York County starting Sunday.

"Our generators are (sold out) and we have a list of over 50 people who need generators," said Ashley Spangler, the store’s owner. "We're taking names and phone numbers. The warehouse will get a number of generators (Saturday) and we’re going to get our lion'’s share. Want to get about 100 generators for early next week."

Besides generators, the store’'s customers are buying sump pumps and pump kits, flashlights, batteries, drainage pipes and anything else electrical- and water-related, Spangler said.

Generators will be plentiful at Gander Mountain, while supplies last, just as the storm hits Monday.

The 1880 Loucks Road store in West Manchester Township is slated to receive a shipment of 350 generators and will open for business at 8 a.m. Monday, a store employee said.

Similar storm-related items are being snatched from the shelves at Home Depot at 2905 E. Market St. in Springettsbury Township.

The store also ran out of generators and is in the process of getting more, said Pamela Hamlett, an assistant store manager.

"We'’re trying to take care of our customers," she said. "It has been absolutely busy."

The customer rush started on Friday at Lowe'’s home improvement store at 1175 Carlisle Road in West Manchester Township, store managers said. Like Home Depot and Spangler ACE, the Lowe’s store is selling a lot of storm-related items and has run out of generators.

People also are are buying water, snow blowers, lanterns and lantern oil, Lowe'’s managers said.

On the food front, local Weissand Giant grocery stores are experiencing the typical milk-and-bread rush from customers.

Bob Bradshaw, store manager at Weis at 1800 Loucks Road in West Manchester Township, said the rush started about 8:30 a.m. Friday, as customers are tracking the storm more as the weekend approaches.

Customers also are buying a lot of paper towels and water. The store has brought in extra groceries to keep up with customers’ demands, Bradshaw said.

"We haven'’t had to get extra staff in, but that will come," he said.

Giant food stores throughout the county also are selling a lot of snack foods, juice, waters, pet supplies and food, and Halloween candy, said Chris Brand, the company’'s spokesman.

Scott Cesky, store manager at Giant at 1255 Carlisle Road in West Manchester Township, said customers should remember to get a lot of non-perishable foods in case of prolonged power outages.

Meats and fresh vegetables and fruits will spoil fast in an outage, unless generators are used, Cesky said.

Robin Glass, 39, a customer at the store Friday, said she might be among York Hospital staff called into work during the storm.

"So, I’'m getting some (meals), snacks, drinks and water for my family so they'’ll have something to eat at home if I have to work," said Glass, a hospital equipment technician. "We already have flashlights and candles, so we'’re prepared."

Giant is prepared as well, as the company has its own generators and refrigerated trucks ready to go in case of a power outage, Brand said. The storm is more than a weather event, he added.

"It'’s a community event," Brand said. "In the stores, there'’s that electricity in the air, that something is happening with the community. We'’re preparing for the storm together."

Staff writers Chelsea Shank and Greg Gross contributed to this report

Reach Eyana Adah McMillan at emcmillan@yorkdispatch.com.