It’s a time for green thumbs, green grass and greenhouses.

Now more than ever, homeowners find themselves isolated and with more time to fill.

As a result, the priorities of many have shifted from wants and could haves to needs and should haves.

Since the rise of COVID-19, home improvement and lawn garden projects have become all the rage.

In turn, hardware stores have become an epicenter of activity, as sales have been flourishing.

That has enabled local hardware stores to shine, according to John Marzen, owner of Marzen’s Feed & Hardware in Lehighton.

“We’ve been busy,” Marzen said. “People have more time on their hands at the moment, are catching up.”

Marzen said garden and lawn products seem to be more in demand, as a lot of people got an early start on their gardens in March when the weather was nice.

“Everybody got started early in their gardens; I think a lot of people are putting gardens in,” he said. “The same with lawns; I think everyone’s going to have a nice lawn.”

Marzen said the business has set up a screen around its counter, and noted that everyone’s wearing masks, including customers who have been frequenting the shop.

Similarly, Shea’s Hardware in Palmerton is among those to see an uptick in business, according to employee Debbie Shea.

“We’ve been selling a lot of (everything),” Shea said. “It seems like whatever project people can think to do.”

Whether it be paint, plumbing, gardening, fishing licenses, Shea said the business has been selling plenty of its wares.

“I think it’s bringing a lot of people in that don’t normally shop here, which we appreciate it,” she said. “They’re trying to avoid some of the lines at the big box stores.”

Shea said that while business has been soaring, she’d like to see things return to the way they were before the pandemic.

“We’re very anxious to see things get back to normal for everyone,” she said. “People need to use common sense, try and stay safe and be kind to each other.”

It’s also important to emphasize social distancing, according to Abel Boyer, owner of A.F. Boyer Hardware & Guns in Slatington.

“It has been tough at times, we are limited staff right now, so that has affected us quite a bit,” Boyer said. “We’re open limited hours, limiting the amount of people in the store for safety precaution reasons.”

Boyer said his business understood from the start of the coronavirus that it wasn’t wise to let large numbers of customers in the store at one time.

“We limited people right from the start; knew it was a bad thing to have 100 people at one time,” he said. “It’s a constant go-go world, people aren’t very patient nowadays.”

Boyer said the change has certainly been rough on his employees.

“My employees that are here and able to work are getting burned out,” he said. “My older ones are at home just weathering the storm.”

Boyer said chief among sales at his store have been guns and ammunition.

“People are fearing for their lives with robberies, break-ins, stuff like that,” he said. “The other things that we’re seeing quite a bit of uptick is live bait sales; we do a lot of fishing stuff here at the store.”

Fishing is a terrific avenue for people who want to become one with nature, Boyer said.

“It’s great to see that people are getting out and taking their sons and daughters and being able to get out in the outdoors,” he said. “People that are out of work are able to enjoy life a little bit, enjoy the outdoors, look out and enjoy the weather.”

Perhaps more now than ever, Boyer said people should look to shop locally as much as possible.

“I’d like to encourage everybody to get out and support their local businesses, the ones that always supported them before,” he said. “Now’s the time to make sure they’re supporting their local businesses (by) shopping small and not ordering online.”