SPRING HILL, Tenn. (WTVF) — With a significant snowfall forecast for Tennessee, parents are flocking to secondhand stores to find affordable winter gear for their children, avoiding the high costs of new equipment that may only be used once or twice.
At 'Like New' Used Furniture, owner Heather Cornwall experienced an unprecedented rush of customers seeking snow gear. The demand has been particularly intense this year due to the rare forecast of more than 6 inches of snow.
"It was mass chaos for the first 30 minutes," Cornwall said.
The urgency stems from Tennessee's infrequent heavy snowfall, making this forecast unusual for the region.
"This has been huge because they never forecast 6+ inches ever, so it's been a long time since they forecasted this much snow," Cornwall said.
Parents are searching for essential items including boots, gloves, snow pants, and sleds. The winter gear available at thrift stores typically hasn't endured harsh conditions like New England blizzards or Utah ski slopes, making it ideal for Tennessee's occasional snow events.
"They need boots, they need gloves, they need snow pants, they need sleds. I wish I had a bunch more sleds," Cornwall said.
For many parents, the practicality of buying used makes perfect sense given how quickly children outgrow clothing.
"You need it one time and then next year for the same thing you're gonna need it again, but kids grow so fast so nothing ever fits," Amanda Cool, one parent said.
The strategy of buying slightly oversized gear also works well for snow play, where children will be bundled in multiple layers anyway.
"It doesn't matter if it's a little big to play in the snow," Cool said. "They're gonna be wearing so many layers anyways. Hopefully I can get two seasons out of it."
First-time visitors to thrift stores are discovering they can find everything needed for snow day preparation.
"I've never been here before and I got everything I needed," Rachel Moore, another parent said.
Parents acknowledge that children's enthusiasm for snow play often outweighs comfort concerns, making expensive gear unnecessary.
"They don't care, they will be outside until their toes are frozen," Cool noted. "Stick them in front of a fireplace, stick their stuff in the dryer. It'll be fine."
The money saved on secondhand snow gear allows families to allocate funds toward other snow day essentials.
"I ordered probably $70 worth of candy and chips to be snowed in with," Moore said.
For families unable to find proper snow boots, creative solutions include wrapping tennis shoes in plastic bags as a temporary measure.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
