Gobbling Up Groceries | Video

Joel Porter | 11/21/2012

Anyone who`s headed to the grocery store to pick up last minute items is likely to be stuck waiting in line. The day before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest grocery shopping days of the year.

For Central Market store manager Greg Severson, only one other day is as hectic as the day before Thanksgiving.

"Usually, the 23rd of December. Those are our Black Fridays," he said.

On this particular Wednesday, Severson was ready for the rush of shoppers.

"It`s a guessing game for most of my management staff. Figure out how many turkeys we`re going to go through. Potatoes in the produce department."

"I did. I had a few things I had to pick up before tomorrow," said Bismarck resident Grace Lauinger.

Central Market staff spent the night loading up extra inventory from sweet potatoes to stuffing, ensuring shoppers like Lauinger could load up their carts with a few quick items to prepare a holiday feast.

"I had planned ahead. I had my list. But then you think, well I`m not sure I have enough, even though you always do," Lauinger said.

"And every year, it seems like something will surprise us. The little things, the sugars, the flours for all of the baking. Baking is huge," Severson said.

If you haven`t already thawed out your turkey, you`re basically out of luck at this point. Which is why many people are picking up fresh or smoked turkeys at places like Butcher Block Meats.

"Fresh turkeys are pretty big. Nobody wants to take a frozen turkey and thaw it out. Everybody wants to order nice, fresh, never been frozen," said co-owner Brian Masseth.

While pork and beef are typically the hot items at the Mandan shop, today the bird was the word. And the same can be said for stores on both sides of the river.

"I`m sure after 5:00, when everybody gets off work, it`ll be really super busy," Lauinger said.

Central Market is open all night. Severson says he expects a busy crowd until about noon tomorrow.

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