Local businesses stock up on supplies to help Decorah residents deal with icy sidewalks and driveways

Ace Hardware employees Destyn Bonelli, Jill Bolson (front row) and Rusty Cook, Andrew Bonelli and Roger Jaeger (back row)

Schools and several businesses had to shut down Monday and Tuesday when freezing rain hit Decorah hard.

One business that hasn't slowed down is Ace Hardware. Owners Steve and Julie Spilde brought three pallets of ice melt from La Crosse Tuesday and headed right back to pick up another three pallets. Steve said, "I'm usually working at Steve's Car Care Center, but this is a need and I want to help out our Ace customers when they are in need."

Ace Hardware has sold 21,000 pounds of ice melt and now has stocked another 6,800 pounds. Customers were lining up to purchase ice melt when the Spildes pulled in with the load.

Ace Hardware employee Rusty Cook has the task of keeping Ace's sidewalks free and clear of ice--and they are spotless. The key, he says, is to sprinkle the ice melt, wait 15 minutes for it to do its job and then start chopping at the ice. It's a process--you can't start chopping as soon as it's sprinkled. Waiting lets the ice melt do its job.

Ice melt isn't the only popular item being sold.  At Thornton's Feed & Grain in Decorah, owner Al Thornton says his business has already sold 35,000 pounds of products like cherry stone grit, lime, oyster shells, rock salt and concrete- and vegetation-friendly ice melting product to local residents, churches and schools. 

Other Decorah businesses are selling ice choppers, tubes of sand, metal shovels and even water softener salt has been used to break up the ice. Also popular--yak tracks, a traction device stretched over your shoes to help you get better traction on icy surfaces.

The weather is calling for warmer temperatures the next few days, which will help the melting process. If you are like most Decorah residents and have 1-2 inches of ice on your sidewalk and driveway, ice melt will definitely help the process of getting rid of it.

Icy sidewalks and driveways are a problem in Decorah

Employee Rusty Cook maintains sidewalks and parking lot at Ace

Employees Rusty Cook and Andrew Bonelli unload the pallets of ice melt for customers

Ace Hardware owners Julie and Steve Spilde