Fox Cities News

Supply chain issues are hitting Oshkosh just like every other part of the country, except here if you don’t have a snowblower before the powder starts to pile up you may be on the end of a wait well into summer 2022.

Oshkosh-based Kitz & Pfeil Ace Hardware has been experiencing supply chain problems with snowblowers and other machinery.

Dean, an assistant manager the Kitz & Pfeil’s location at 451 N Main St. in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, said the store was experiencing shortages in snowblowers being shipped from far away.

“From somewhere like China it could takes months,” he told Fox Cities News.

Snow removal tools have been in limited supply and increased demand across Wisconsin since early in the season.

Brands manufactured in North America — like Toro — are seeing fewer issues but expect the shortages to affect supplies everywhere as local inventory will likely be gobbled up in the face of continued international shortages.

“It is a situation where once what we have is gone it will be hard to replace,” he said. 

Kitz & Pfeil operates a six-store chain with two locations in Oshkosh and stores in Appleton, Berlin, Fond Du Lac and Menasha.

The chain began operations in 1913 as a partnership between Joseph H. Kitz & Charles E. Pfeil. The two purchased a sporting goods store in Oshkosh. In 1949 Kitz & Pfeil changed ownership to the Stapel family, when Arthur and Marie and their son Carl, purchased the business.

Kitz & Pfeil changed its affiliation from True Value to Ace Hardware in 2018.

“Staff here is very friendly and is always at hand if you are looking for something in particular,” Robby W. Of Volvo, Wisconsin said.

Wisconsin averages 16 feet of snow per year.

Oshkosh Area School District has scheduled five and half days as "snow days" to make up for time lost to snow this year.