Shopping a priority ahead of Winter Storm Brianna

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN - Winter Storm Brianna is forcing a change of plans for people as they prepare to hunker down for the snow.

Many people were out and about Wednesday getting their groceries and gifts taken care of, so they can stay in during the severe weather.

"We're starting to see a little extra business so far today," said Festival Foods director of public relations Nick Arlt.

Baggers stayed busy, as cashiers rung up groceries seemingly non-stop at Festival Foods in De Pere.

As the day wore on, store officials expected it to pick up even more. But they'd planned ahead when they first heard of the storm.

"Trying to accommodate people, get extra product on the shelves, get extra people here to help with all the customers," said Arlt.

"I'd say definitely there's a lot more people," said Festival Foods customer Bill Dessart of De Pere.

Dessart would rather deal with crowds then Winter Storm Brianna. So he made it a point to stop in Wednesday.

"Just came out to make sure that we had the essentials and not have to worry about trying to drive through it tomorrow," said Dessart.

As students from Seymour spread holiday cheer at Bay Park Square Mall in Ashwaubenon, shoppers scurried to get everything on their lists.

"I'm here early and out early because of the big storm that's ahead of us," said Tammy Voeks of Sister Bay.

Voeks made the trip from Door County a day ahead of Brianna, because she has no desire to drive in the snow.

"This made it. The storm made this day be the day," said Voeks who still had a few gifts left to pick up.

The storm not only forced Voeks to wrap up her shopping now, she says having to work around the weather adds stress too.

"Puts pressure, definitely pressure because it, tomorrow, nobody probably will be doing too much. I mean, being snowed in, so yeah," said Voeks.

While both the mall and grocery stores were seeing business pick up earlier Wednesday, both places expected the crowds to really pick up after work.