Hello All,

The recent power outage in Chicago reminded me that I needed to stock some more wicks & oil for my lamps. I had been purchasing these items at Wal Mart (I really hate that store, but that's another topic ;-)

Anyway, at this time my local Wal Mart does not have one single lamp, wick, or bottle of oil. Zip, zero, nada, nothing.

I was wondering if anyone either a) knows these things are currently stocked at your local Wal Mart, or b) knows that these are seasonal items.

I hate that store. (have I mentioned that?) :-D

Deborah

P.S. As an added item of interest, my local Wal Mart does have a four pack of emergency utility candles (480 hrs. burn time) for 2.50. They are in the same aisle as the decorative candles. They did not have these last winter/spring.

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), August 17, 1999

Answers

My local Wally World has a small supply of oil, lamps, wicks, etc. NW Washington State. They are kept in the very back (next to their loading ramp practically), and on the bottom shelf, way out of sight (maybe because it is summer?).

-- Sammie Davis (sammie0nospam@hotmail.com), August 17, 1999.

Don't know about Wallmart, but at Menards (Midwest area) they just got in a new product:

4 pallet loads (about 100 sets on each) of packs containing :

2 oil lamps and 1 qt. of lamp oil for $14.00 (about a dollar more than if you buy separately). The point is, theres lots available yet.

They also have 2 1/2 gallons of Kerosene (the pink stuff) for 5.99. Again a little more expensive than a gas station, but not to bad.

-- Jon Johnson (narnia4@usa.net), August 17, 1999.

The Wally World in VA has them, Deborah, year around. They did just recently move them to the section with the electric lamps. You can imagine my panic when I ran by the old area they used to be to grab another bottle of oil, and found them all gone! Good luck.

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), August 17, 1999.

Here in Yuba City, CA our local Walmart still has plenty (?) of oil lamps and supplies as of today (just got back!). I went ahead and finished buying up those types of supplies today. Don't want to wait on it..... Planning to go camping this weekend - will be nice to use some of this stuff (haven't camped all year!). Bye.

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), August 17, 1999.

Deborah,

I got some lamps, oil, & wicks at Walmart the first week of July. They were stuck at the end of a shelf with some of their electric lamps. I haven't made it back, since, but have asked about lamp oil at a few other stores-- the other stores have said it's seasonal. Bottomline: It's out there, available, just not always easy to find.

Didn't see the emergency candles, before. Will need to go back and take a look. Thanks for mentioning those.

Jon,

I just spoke with our Menards about kerosene and kerosene heaters on Sunday (by phone, though, so maybe I got someone who didn't know). Anyway, that person said they don't carry kerosene. They may get some kersone heaters, but they're also seasonal... I realize there are 'regional differences' around, but I think we're close to the same region.

Now, Menards did carry lamp oil, but in much smaller amounts (it seemed to me) than what I found at Wal Mart. Maybe 48 oz instead of 64 oz.

Menards also had prominently displayed "Buy today for Y2K" signs around and also signs with checklists of items to have on hand for Y2K. This was probably 3 or so weeks ago (memory starts to fail). They did have the strike-anywhere matches for sale there.

Just a few ramblings,

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), August 17, 1999.

From what everybody's saying, Wally is moving the lamps around on a seasonal basis. Likely the oil lamps are displayed towards the front of the store for fall and winter, and towards the back of the store for spring and summer. Of course there are some locales where such lamps are sold for Christmas decorations, also.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), August 17, 1999.

Thanks for all of your responses!

Today I found wicks at my local True Value (so I feel a little better).

Lilly wrote "You can imagine my panic when I ran by the old area they used to be to grab another bottle of oil, and found them all gone!

I know the feeling!

Kristi, We're going camping this weekend too!

Winter Wondering,

I have seen those signs as well. I first noticed them spring/early summer.

Thanks for the heads up on the strike anywhere matches, I have been unable to find them!

Thanks again to all for your responses!!

-- Deborah (infowars@yahoo.com), August 17, 1999.

If someone is having a problem getting oil lamps let me know. I have sources for both aladdin and regular lamps and would be happy to ship them out to you for just their cost plus the shipping.

-- ExCop (yinadral@juno.com), August 18, 1999.

Before you buy your lamp oil, check to make sure the label reflects the "ULTRA" wording on it, this brand doesn't smoke up your home. Judy

-- Judy (dodgeball@aol.com), August 18, 1999.

Deborah, My local wal=mart hasn't had oil wicks for many months now. Don't know what the problem is but I'm glad I had already stocked up on them. There are some shortages at times of lamp oil also, although lately there has been plenty.

-- Lynn (none@oul.com), August 21, 1999.