By Shavonne Potts
Salisbury Post
It seemed like a good day to be out for some Rowan residents who braved the bitter cold and snow Saturday.
Kelly Parish, along with her family and friends, didn’t seem to mind that it was snowing around them. They had shopping to do.
“I’ve lived here for years and we just decided to go look at the stores,” Parish said.
The China Grove resident, accompanied by her daughter, Madison, 11, and friends Teri Valatka and her son, Joey, said they loved the snowy weather.
Why venture out on a day like Saturday? Why not?
“We came out before we got snowed in,” Parish said.
The Valatkas are originally from Trenton, N.J., and aren’t bothered by the weather. They now live in Kannapolis.
“I love it,” Teri said.
The group also intended to get some soup from Spanky’s, but it was closed. They’d had potato soup earlier in the week and had to have some more.
Dressed as if to defy the 34-degree temperature, the group left smiling to shop downtown.
The snow began to fall in Salisbury around noon and tapered off at dusk, with flurries off and on through the evening.
Meghan Schneider and friend Meggie Bumgarner were also hoping to grab some hot soup.
They weren’t bothered by the snow that sprinkled down to the ground around them.
The friends attend Catawba College and really wanted to get out for some food, they said.
Schneider, a native of Connecticut, sees more snow in her neck of the woods.
“I want more of it,” Schneider said.
“We’ll probably go see a movie and eat somewhere else,” Bumgarner said underneath her umbrella.
Bumgarner, originally from Hickory, said the weather was nice.
The two just wished it would last so they wouldn’t have to return to classes on Monday.
Jeff Livengood and his wife Lori, of China Grove, were just hoping the snow would stick so their 10-year-old, Megan, could get in some sledding. The couple bought a sled at Bernhardt’s Hardware in the downtown area.
“We’re waiting for it to be enough snow on the ground for her,” Jeff said.
In the meantime the family will dine on chicken wings and play a little pool at home.
Paul Bernhardt, owner of the hardware store bearing his name, said he opened up at 8 a.m. and has sold around 100 sleds this winter.
“Business has been steady. It started yesterday afternoon,” he said.
Bernhardt expects to stay open just beyond his regular hours, depending on his customer base, he said.
“I think everybody likes to see it snow,” Bernhardt said as he talked to customers.
The forecast called for temperatures in the low 20s Saturday night, raising the likelihood for icing problems today.
Contact Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253 or spotts@salisburypost.com.