PORT LAVACA, Texas – Sunday is the final day to make any preparations ahead of what is forecast to be a third and final landfall from Hurricane Beryl along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Millions across the Texas shoreline are preparing for Beryl to strengthen into a hurricane once again before slamming into Texas, likely along the Matagorda Bay.
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In Port Lavaca, those who live in this sleepy town with just over 11,000 residents are rushing to finish their final steps to prepare for Beryl. Meanwhile, the local hardware store is fresh out of the most requested items.
“We’re boarding up windows,” said John Daniel as he walked into Sameli’s Ace Hardware store.
There are only two hardware stores in the entire town and only one of them was open Sunday morning.
Gage Goulding: “I might be, a little crazy saying this, but I think you might be a little bit late to the preparation party.”
Mike Dunlap: “This was extra duty for someone else.”
That’s the kind of small-town community this is. People like Mike Dunlap and John Daniel will drop what they’re doing to help those who need an extra hand.
“You know, there’s lots of single moms, single people,” Daniel said. “You know they can’t even afford to leave.”
But no matter the amount of hands willing to help, there’s a bigger issue - the hardware store is running out of supplies.
“We did 2,000 customers in the last two days. And that’s probably not even close to how many people are in Port Lavaca that need it,” said Tony Ridrick, manager of Salemi’s Ace Hardware.
He has wood in stock, but not the most commonly needed: plywood.
There are sheets on the shelves, but they aren’t up for grabs.
Gage Goulding: “You got some wood, but this isn’t for sale?”
Tony Tidrick: “No, sir. It’s already been spoken for.”
Tony Tidrick: “We just had some people who didn’t have trailers, had to come go back home, pick them up.”
Other items like generators and gas cans are also hard to come by as Beryl churns closer in the Gulf of Mexico.