Crowley businesses helping storm recovery

Natural disasters have been known to bring out the best in south Louisiana residents.
Unfortunately there is a small part of the state’s population who, influenced by nothing but greed, have used a tragic circumstance for their personal monetary gain and the term “price gouging” has become a sad part of recovery for victims of many past storms.
Price gouging occurs when a business owner will raise prices for products or services that he knows people will need following a disaster.
However, Jared Day is not one of those business owners.
In fact, the manager of Sherwin Williams, located at 203 W. Second St. in Crowley, was adamant during a meeting with his district manager immediately following the storm to be the opposite.
“I told him that we had to do something to help the people around here,” he said. “All of the managers in our area came into that meeting looking to help and we were in total agreement.”
What the painting supply store’s leaders decided was to provide a 40 percent discount on all of their paint to people with storm damage. There are similar sales for painting supplies and other equipment that people may require when doing home repairs.
“We’ve had a good response,” said Day. “These sales have become a company-wide initiative.”
Sherwin-Williams is not the only Crowley business that has placed the well-being of their customers ahead of making a profit.
• Shetler-Corley, located at 1623 N. Parkerson Ave. in Crowley, is offering special incentives for people who lost their cars in the flood.
• The Classy Closet Too, located at 910 1/2 N. Parkerson Ave. in Crowley, gave a 50 percent discount on all their clothes the week following the flood. They are continuing to give different daily discounts.
Day said that he couldn’t fathom being one of those who have practiced price gouging during aftermath of several recent disasters.
“I don’t see how they could look themselves in the mirror every day,” he said.